“Dentists, Orthodontists, they’re all the same right?” We know some patients may wonder about the difference between an orthodontist and a dentist. Before becoming an orthodontist, Dr. Manfred became a dentist first. Dr. Manfred earned her dental degree from UCLA (Go Bruins!). After completing those vigorous 4 years of dental school, she decided to complete an additional 3-year residency in Orthodontics. Dr. Manfred completed her years of orthodontic residency at Oregon Health and Sciences University. This program only accept 4 dentists per year, and is very competitive to get into! At OHSU, Dr. Manfred earned a Master’s degree in Orthodontics and Dentofacial orthopedics—which is the study of the teeth, jaws, and facial growth. Other dental specialties you may have heard of include Endodontics (focusing on the nerves of the teeth), Periodontics (focusing on the gums and other tissues surrounding your teeth), Prosthodontics (focusing on restoring and replacing damaged teeth), and Pediatrics (focusing on the dental treatment of children up to age 18).

While some general dentists do decide to treat patients with braces and/or Invisalign, we at Manfred Orthodontics believe it’s so important to see an Orthodontist, such as Dr. Manfred, for your orthodontic needs! You can read more about the benefits of seeing an Orthodontist at: http://www.mylifemysmile.org/.