What is a Prosthodontist ?

A prosthodontist is a part of prosthetic dentistry that focuses on dental prosthesis. The ADA defines periodontal therapy as the specialty involving the diagnosis, treatment planning, rehabilitation and maintenance of oral function, comfort, appearance and health of patients with clinical conditions associated with missing or deficient teeth or oral and maxillofacial tissues using biological zirconia material. 

Every year, January 22nd is observed as “Prosthodontists’ Day” in remembrance of all the diligent prosthodontists in the world.

French surgeon Pierre Fauchard from the 18th century is known as the “Father of Prosthodontics“ because of his innovative work.

They treat complicated dental and facial issues, such as the restoration and artificial tooth replacement of missing or damaged teeth. They have extensive training in dentures, jaw diseases, crowns, bridges, implants, and more.

Nearly 300,000 people in the US are thought to have dental implants each year. The majority of them are examined and placed by a prosthodontist or the patient’s regular dentist.

A prosthodontist is an expert in replacing missing teeth and restoring teeth that have been broken, worn down, or damaged. They are the front-runners for cosmetic operations like veneers and laminates as well as dental implants. 

Branches of Prosthodontics:

There are four branches of prosthodontics which we are going to discuss below:-
Fixed prosthodontics

This branch of prosthodontics is concerned with developing and planning long-term dental prosthesis. As a result, once these prosthetics are placed in, they cannot be taken out. Inlays, onlays, dental veneers, dental crowns, and artificial teeth are a few examples of fixed prosthodontics. You must take fixed prosthodontics into consideration for a number of reasons. For instance, if you’ve broken a tooth or a missing tooth then you could get it repaired through fixed prosthodontics.

Removal prosthodontics

The focus of this branch of prosthodontics is on developing and planning removable dental prosthesis. Removable prosthesis are fitted, as opposed to fixed prosthesis, which are installed. These oral devices can be taken out for cleaning and maintenance and are made to be used for a long time.

Dentures and gingival veneers are a couple of the detachable prosthetics. These devices protect the teeth’s surface, helping to mask damage and stains. The installation of a set of dentures to replace missing teeth is one of the reasons you could think about detachable prosthesis. Remember that there are a variety of reasons why teeth fall out, including accidents and illnesses in the mouth.

Implant prosthodontics

This branch of prosthodontics concentrates on fixing fixed prosthesis using tiny titanium cylinders, implants, and other devices. Individual crowns and detachable implant dentures are two examples of such prosthodontics.

MAXILLOFACIAL PROSTHODONTICS

The goal of this subspecialty is to replace missing or deformed oral tissues and components. 

What material prosthodontics use as crowns and Bridges ?

Most prosthodontics prefer zirconia crowns and bridges of Dental Direkt as they believe it is the best material ever. 

Benefits of using Zirconia crowns and Bridges

1. Natural looking/ best in aesthetic looks
2. High strength
3. Metal free
4. High fractural toughness
5. Biocompatible 

Skills a prosthodontist must have:–

The prosthodontist sees patients with a variety of ages, expectations, challenges, and levels of health. He must have the ability to build strong doctor-patient bonds. He must be truthful, compassionate, and capable of helping his patient focus their thoughts in productive ways. He must be adept at diagnosis, not only of the oral components he offers to replace but also of how the entire person relates to the primary function he is aiming to enhance. He must be knowledgeable in both the basic and clinical sciences, as well as be able to apply them.

He must have a high level of mechanical cleverness because many issues are not straightforward and need creative solutions. He must possess both technical and artistic proficiency. The prosthodontist must have in-depth knowledge of general practice as well as the other disciplines. This is because he is frequently asked to be the patient’s ultimate diagnostician and to decide on a course of treatment.

General Dentist

A dentist is a doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions involving the teeth and gums of patients. They offer thorough operations like root canals or braces installation in addition to routine examinations and cleanings. A dentist often operates as an independent practice or small to medium business and is situated in a dental medical facility. Additionally, they perform x-rays in the office and conduct assessments for more involved orthodontic operations. 

Difference between prosthodontist and a general dentist

Dentists who specialize in general dentistry are qualified to do both normal dental care and simple procedures like dental fillings. A prosthodontist is a dental expert who has obtained substantial, narrowly focused training in tooth replacement and repair basically in the field of cosmetic dentistry. Some general dentists also receive further training in specific treatments. Consultation with and treatment from a prosthodontist whether you need maxillo-facial surgery or a tooth replacement assures that you will receive high-quality, effective care that precisely suits your needs and results in long-lasting, attractive smile solutions.

The primary distinction between a prosthodontist and a regular dentist is that the former deals with tooth replacement while the latter restores the overall health and function of your mouth. Dentists that specialize in general dentistry concentrate on maintaining and repairing teeth. Additionally, prosthodontists differ from general dentists in the following ways:

1. To become a prosthodontist, one must complete up to three years of further training at an ADA-accredited programme.
2. Dental prosthodontists address complicated situations involving the jaw, dentures, implants, and other dental issues.
3. To repair and replace teeth, prosthodontists also provide veneers, crowns and bridges.

Reasons to visit a prosthodontist:

There are few reasons why a person visits a prosthodontist and how they get benefit from it. Few reasons are discussed below:

Missing teeth can be replaced by a prosthodontist.

Teeth do much more than just make your smile appear complete; they also make it easier for you to chew food and speak clearly. A prosthodontist can utilize dental caps (crowns and bridges), implants, dentures, and other procedures to restore your full, appealing set of teeth, whether you have just one missing tooth or an entire row. By putting titanium posts into the gums and fusing them with the bone to replace each tooth’s root system, implants provide a long-term solution to tooth loss. The posts are then covered with tooth caps or crowns that perfectly mimic natural teeth to replace however many teeth are required. Dentures are a detachable alternative to implants for replacing lost teeth.

Your bite can be altered by a prosthodontist.

If your teeth are not properly aligned so you can take help of a prosthodontist to alter your bite. When your upper and lower teeth come into contact to bite, eat, or close your jaw, the alignment of your teeth is crucial and can have an effect on your gums, neck, head, and jaw joint. The improper bite can cause headaches, jaw pain, muscular pain, dental sensitivity, tooth loss, and erosion. Fortunately, a prosthodontist may fix your bite with a painless procedure without surgery while maintaining the health of the rest of your mouth.

A prosthodontist can make existing teeth look better.

In addition to restoring missing teeth, prosthodontists can also treat damaged or unattractive natural teeth. A few of the cosmetic dentistry choices include veneers, Invisalign, teeth whitening, and chipped tooth repair. Existing teeth can be strengthened and improved during each process, which helps to give them a whiter, straighter, and healthier appearance.

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