Dental care is a fundamental aspect of overall health, and finding the dental professional for your needs is crucial. If you want to keep your teeth healthy and beautiful, it’s essential to understand the different dental specialties. This guide will help you understand what a prosthodontist does and the benefits of seeking treatment from a specialist in dental prosthetics.

Who is a Prosthodontist?

Prosthodontists are dental practitioners who have completed an additional 3-4 years of specialised training in prosthodontics after dental school. Prosthodontics focuses on restorative and replacement procedures, involving the design, manufacture, and fitting of prosthetics for patients with damaged or missing teeth.

Prosthodontists are experts in dental implants, bridges, crowns, dentures, and veneers. They aim to restore health, functionality and aesthetics of a patient’s mouth.

What is Prosthodontics?

Prosthodontics is a dental speciality concerned with diagnosing, planning, rehabilitating, and maintaining oral function, comfort, appearance, and health in patients with missing or deficient teeth and oral and maxillofacial tissues using biocompatible substitutes.

In simpler terms, prosthodontics deals with dental treatments involving prostheses or restorations. It provides specialised care for patients with damaged or missing teeth or jaw issues.

Prosthodontics and General Dentistry

Many people are unsure about the difference between prosthodontists and general dentists. While both can perform some of the same procedures, their training and areas of expertise differ significantly.

General Dentist:

• – General dentists handle preventive and routine procedures such as cleanings, check-ups, and cavity fillings.
• – They can also perform some restorative procedures but typically do not specialise in complex cases.

Prosthodontist:

• – Prosthodontists have specialised training in restorative and replacement procedures.
• – They handle complex treatments such as dental implants, crowns, bridges, dentures, oral surgery, and maxillofacial issues.

Prosthodontists are highly skilled in prosthetics and restorations, making them the ideal choice for patients needing extensive dental work.

When to See a Prosthodontist

You should consider consulting a prosthodontist if you experience any of the following issues:

• – Missing teeth or tooth loss
• – Damaged teeth that need replacement
• – Requirement for dental implants to restore the root of missing or damaged teeth
• – Need to maintain or fix prosthetic devices such as dentures
• – Jaw problems, including TMJ disorders
• – Desire to improve your smile’s aesthetics and functionality
• – Complex dental conditions resulting from cancer treatments, traumatic injuries, or birth defects

What Does a Prosthodontist Do?

Prosthodontists perform a wide range of procedures, including preventative and routine dental care, as well as specialised treatments.

Here are some common procedures:

Implants: Artificial tooth roots implanted into your jawbone to support a crown, bridge or denture and provides a replacement for natural tooth/teeth.

Crowns: Caps placed on a tooth or implant to restore its shape, size, strength, and appearance.

Bridges: Dental restorations that fill the gap left by missing teeth, typically involving crowns on either side of the gap supporting the false tooth.

Full Mouth Reconstruction: Comprehensive treatment requiring multiple restorations to restore health, function and aesthetics to the oral cavity.

Dentures: Removable used to replace missing teeth.  These can replace all or some of the missing dentition. 

Veneers: Thin porcelain layers fixed to the front of teeth to enhance their appearance and strength.

Jaw Treatment: Addressing issues related to TMJ disorders or other jaw-related conditions.

Benefits of Seeing a Prosthodontist

Seeing a prosthodontist offers several advantages:

• – Expertise in designing and fitting dental prosthetics to replace and restore missing teeth.
• – Specialised knowledge to ensure restorations function well and look natural.
• – Ability to address complex dental issues, arising from the loss of multiple teeth. 
• – Improved overall oral health, leading to dental health, better functioning, enhanced aesthetics, and increased self-esteem.

Prosthodontist FAQs

What procedures do prosthodontists perform?

Prosthodontists handle all replacement and restorative treatments for damaged or missing teeth, including crowns, bridges, veneers, implants, and full mouth rehabilitations.

Can a prosthodontist perform general dental treatments?

Yes, prosthodontists can perform general treatments such as check-ups and fillings. However, they are specially trained for more complex cases like implants and full mouth rehabilitations.

Will my insurance cover the cost of my prosthodontist visit?

Insurance coverage varies depending on the treatment, insurance type, and provider. Some restorative treatments may be covered. It’s best to check with your insurance provider for specific coverage details.

Can a prosthodontist extract teeth?

Yes, prosthodontists can perform extractions, especially in cases where a tooth is severely damaged or in preparation for restorative treatments like implants or dentures.

Does a prosthodontist do dental implants?

Yes, prosthodontists are trained and certified to perform dental implant procedures, ensuring high expertise and professional care.

Can a prosthodontist make dentures?

Yes, prosthodontists are the best-qualified professionals to design, manufacture, and fit dentures, thanks to their extensive training in prosthetics.

Prosthodontists offer specialised care in restorative and replacement dentistry, ensuring your teeth not only look good but also function properly. Their advanced training and expertise make them the ideal choice for patients with complex dental needs. By consulting a prosthodontist, you can achieve a healthy, beautiful smile that enhances your overall well-being.