What's the difference between a Dentist and an Orthodontist?

"Dentists, Orthodontists, they're all the same right?" We hear our patients asking this question as they wonder about the difference between an orthodontist and a dentist. Before becoming an orthodontist Dr. Warren Phillips started out in dental school and earned a DDS (dental degree), just like your dentist. After dental school however, Dr. Phillips decided he wanted to learn more about orthodontics, which is one of nine specialties within the dental field. So he stayed in school for a few more years and became an expert in orthodontics, which focuses on tooth and jaw alignment and bite problems like overbites and under bites.

Other dental specialties you may have heard of include endodontic (focusing on the soft tissue inside your teeth), periodontic (focusing on the gums and other tissues surrounding your teeth) and prosthodontic (focusing on restoring and replacing damaged teeth).

Isn't it nice to know there's a dental expert at Wilmington Braces to help you through any type of treatment your teeth, jaw and gums might need?

The importance of retainers, from Dr. Phillips

If you recently completed treatment at Wilmington Braces, we’d like to congratulate you! Now that your braces have been removed, Dr. Phillips will provide—or has provided you—with retainers. After braces are removed, teeth can shift out of position if they are not stabilized. Retainers provide that stabilization. They are designed to hold teeth in their corrected, ideal positions until the bones and gums adapt to the treatment changes. Wearing retainers exactly as instructed by Dr. Phillips is the best insurance that the treatment improvements last for a lifetime. Here are some things to remember when you receive your retainers:

* Wear your retainers full time, until the doctor instructs otherwise. Wearing your retainers at night ensures that your pearly whites won’t relapse.
* Take your retainers out when eating...and always put retainers in their case! (Most appliances are lost in school lunch rooms or restaurants.)
* Clean retainers thoroughly once a day with a toothbrush and only a small amount of toothpaste. Use warm but not hot water.
* When retainers are not in your mouth they should ALWAYS be in a retainer case.
* Retainers are breakable, so treat them with care. If retainers are lost or broken, give us a call immediately.
* Remove retainers when swimming or during any sporting activity in which the retainers could fall out and get broken or lost (cheerleading, basketball, etc.) or when you should be wearing a mouth guard (football, soccer, etc.).

We hope this helps! You can always contact our team if you have any questions!

Ask Dr. Phillips : What can Invisalign® do for my oral health?

When considering treatment options, patients often ask us how Invisalign treatment is so different than traditional braces. Well, there are more reasons to smile about Invisalign with the Orthodontic Practice of S. Warren Phillips Jr. than you may know. Invisalign is a series of removable aligners that are nearly invisible, and besides straightening your teeth, can improve your oral health. Here’s how:

Healthy gums: Straight teeth allow a close fit for gums. This lessens the gum stress that is caused by crowded or widely spaced teeth, thus also reducing red and swollen gums.
Easy cleaning: Invisalign is removable, therefore brushing and flossing is easier and you are able to maintain a healthy mouth. These habits are vital to avoiding tooth decay, plaque and even gum disease.
Improved speech and chewing: Properly-aligned teeth don’t have the discomfort or compound speech impediments that can be caused by crowded teeth or a deteriorating jawbone.

If you have any questions about Invisalign, just ask Dr. Phillips the next time you’re in for an appointment. Or, you may post your question on our Facebook page! You can also read this article for more information on Invisalign and your oral health.

Welcome to our blog!

Welcome to the official Wilmington Braces blog! We've recently installed new ways to stay connected to our patients, including our Facebook page, YouTube channel and our very own blog, which we’ll be updating weekly! Visit us by clicking on any of the social network icons located on the left side of our page.

We look forward to seeing you soon!
Dr. Phillips and team

Meet Our Orthodontist

I chose the field of orthodontics because I enjoy seeing the smiling faces of my patients as they leave my office. It is my intention to build a long-lasting relationship with each patient that I see and make sure that they receive the most optimal care.

I received my bachelor of science degree in Dentistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I was accepted into the University of North Carolina's Dental School one year early, and completed my Doctor of Dental Surgery with Distinction from UNC, graduating in the top 5% of my class of 78 students. Following my DDS degree, I completed 3 years of postdoctoral study at UNC-Chapel Hill where I earned my master of science degree in orthodontics and my certificate in orthodontics.

I enjoy spending my free time reading and in the outdoors, diving, hunting, and fishing. I am also an active member of the Wrightsville United Methodist Church.