prosthodontics

WHAT IS A PROSTHODONTIST?

​A prosthodontist is a dentist who specialises in restoring natural teeth and creating and placing natural-looking substitute or prosthetic teeth. Prosthodontics is one of only eight dental specialties recognised by the American Dental Association. A Prosthodontist's professional education includes several years of additional training after dental school in an accredited advanced dental education program.

Thanks to the significant advances in dentistry over the last twenty years, prosthodontists are able to offer their patients a wide range of professional services. These services include:

REPLACEMENT OF MISSING TEETH

Prosthodontists offer their patients a wide range of options to replace missing teeth depending on each patient's needs. Whether a patient is a candidate for complete dentures, a removable partial denture, or a fixed (stationary) bridge, prosthodontists are well educated to provide high-quality care. These specialists have an excellent understanding of dental laboratory procedures, and they work closely with dental technicians to ensure that each custom-made prothesis is attractive and comfortable for the patient.

COSMETIC DENTISTRY

Since people are living longer and retaining more of their natural teeth, prosthodontists are playing a key role in helping patients maintain a healthy, attractive appearance. Prosthodontists are experts in whitening and bonding techniques, color matching, the use of veneers to reshape teeth and enhance their appearance, and the precise fabrication and replacement of fixed protheses such as crowns and bridges.

​

Prosthodontists combine the hands of a dentist with the eyes of an artist to create natural-looking restorations that greatly benefit their patients.

DENTAL IMPLANTS AND OTHER ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES

Some of the most remarkable advances in dentistry today - such as dental implants - are directly related to the services prosthodontists provide. Prosthodontists have been instrumental in fostering these advances, and they have been in the vanguard of research over the last twenty-five years concerning the effectiveness of dental implants. As a preferred alternative to conventional tooth-replacement techniques, dental implants offer patients wonderful advantages. Prosthodontists report that dental implants are rapidly becoming the procedure of choice among patients who are missing all or some of their teeth.

CORRECTION OF ORAL AND FACIAL PROBLEMS

A prosthodontist's training includes in-depth study and experience in the relationship of teeth and jaws necessary for a proper bite. Working with other doctors, prosthodontists provide treatment for patients with birth defects such as cleft palate; conditions such as temporomandibular joint disfunction (TMD); traumatic injuries; and complex restorations for patients who have undergone surgical or radiation treatment for cancer.

​

Learn more about prosthodontists. Who they are. What they can do for you. How they work with other dental professionals as part of a team. And start smiling.