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orthodontist

American  
[awr-thuh-dahnt-ist] / ˌɔr θəˈdɑnt ɪst /

noun

  1. a dentist specializing in orthodontics.


Explanation

An orthodontist is a type of dentist who specializes in straightening crooked teeth. If you go see an orthodontist, you could walk out with a mouth full of braces! A dentist can fill cavities and encourage you to floss, but an orthodontist can help straighten crooked teeth or misaligned jaws. The word orthodontist comes from the Greek word orthos for “straight, correct” and odon for "tooth." The most common thing an orthodontist does is provide braces for kids and adults. An orthodontist can help if you have a serious tooth or jaw problem or if you just want your teeth to look better.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Adds Harvard Orthodontist Herbert Wells: "Except for the introduction of high-speed drills, nothing much has happened to dental technology since the '30s."

From Time Magazine Archive

A lot of Minnesotans concur: >Orthodontist Richard Paulson, 39, lives with his wife Betty Ann and two daughters in the Minneapolis suburb of Golden Valley.

From Time Magazine Archive

Whenever possible," says Orthodontist Dwight A. Jackson of Winston-Salem, N.C., "we pick inconspicuous appliances for the adult.

From Time Magazine Archive

“But it’s like in Mr. Lemoncello’s Family Frenzy, where one player pulls the Orthodontist card and everybody has to move back seven spaces to buy their kids braces.”

From "Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library" by Chris Grabenstein