Prosthodontists and Prosthetics

Prosthodontics is a specialized field of dentistry that deals mostly with implants (implantology) and oral prosthesis (both to substitute missing teeth), and full mouth reconstruction in some cases. A subsequent three to four-year ADA program is a necessity before any dentist could be considered a prosthodontist.

The primarily roles of a prosthodontist are to diagnose, treat and rehabilitate patients who have missing teeth or are having difficulty performing mouth routines (eating, biting, yawning) because of tooth-related problems. In most cases, prosthodontists specialize in creating "dentures" for the patient. Dentures are prosthetic devices that act as substitutes for missing teeth.

And making dentures is no easy task, which makes the three year certification program a necessity in the both the effectiveness and efficiency of the dentist in creating lifelong prosthetics.

The step-by-step procedures in the creation of prosthetics/dentures:

1. The prosthodontist will first assess the patient's bite by letting him/her bite a resin negative and afterwards, create a plaster cast model taken from a negative replica of the patient's mouth. But before getting an impression of the patient's bite, the patient's teeth must be carefully cleaned are free from any abscess or inflammation, that may cause an unnatural impression of the teeth and gums.

2. The dentist will trim the plaster for any excess material.

3. By the time the first impression has been made, another optional "custom made" impression may also be made; subsequently, procedure #1 will be repeated. Being optional, the third step is used in creating a finalized (master) cast of the dentures. The master cast is now sent to a laboratory.

4. The "Bite Stage" as some prosthodentics would call, is the time when the dental technician pours modeling wax (Dental Wax) into the master cast, thereby creating the "temporary gums" of the denture, mimicking the gum tissue and holding all the false teeth into place.

5. The "Try-in Stage" is when the dentures are tested by both the dentist and the patient if they fit in correctly into the jaw. The initial results will be inadvertently discomforting for the patient, but this process is essential to see whether or not the dentures are tolerable to be withheld by the patient's jaw.

6. If the dentures are okay with the patient, the dentist now sends the wax model to the laboratory to finalize the dentures by converting the wax portion into a gum-resembling pink plastic.

7. The final stage of the denture creation process is when the finalized denture appliance is sent back to the dentist and will be subsequently fitted to the patient to check if the dentures are working well. Again, discomfort may ensue and sores may appear within a few days of use of the dentures.

8. In the first few weeks of trying out the new set of dentures, every patient (regardless of pain felt) is required to return to the dentist for follow-up checkups to ensure that both the prosthetics and the mouth are now "clinching in" together, causing a gradual reduction in pain with the mouth now being used to the new set of teeth.

To make sure that you are getting the right set of dentures, do research on your dentist and see if he/she is really a licensed prosthodentist. A lot of "quack" prosthodentists and even dental technicians are sprouting up lately, offering substandard dentures at very low prices, and evidently, most of the time, the patient will be the one having the bigger financial burden because of the health risks caused by these substandard prosthetics.

Also, take a thorough inspection look on the clinic to see if the dentist is using state-of-the-art equipment. A responsible and professional dentist always keeps his apparati on check, no matter his work experience. Do not forget to ask questions on his/her patient history and other factors pertaining to prosthetics and related issues.

Please subscribe to our articles to get frequent updates on dentistry news.

Looking for a top orthodontist, endodontist, periodontist, prosthodontist, pedodontist, cosmetic dentist, or general dentist in the United States? Then look no further. The NewDentist network assures its blog readers only the best dentists in Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, and Seattle. Head on to our dental blogs below for more reliable dentistry information:

Boston Dentist Blog
New York Dentist Blog

You can also head on to our Seattle Dentist Blog, Miami Dentist Blog, and Chicago Dentist Blog for more relevant dentistry information.

The NewDentist network specializes in topics that include:

Cosmetic Dentistry - improving smiles via veneer technology and teeth whitening
Orthodontics - tooth alignment and bite correction
Periodontics - periodontal disease treatment and prevention
Prosthodontics - prosthetic devices such as dentures bring back comfort to your mouth
Pedodontics - child-friendly dentistry for your precious children