subject: Prosthodontic Dentistry Overview [print this page] Prosthodontic dentist services reminds me of the word prosthetic. The two words prosthodontic dentist services and prosthetic share the same root word. So, you'll understand that a prosthetic doctor who supplies prosthetic limbs is like a prosthetic dentist who provides prosthetic teeth.
A prosthodontic dentist provides services for replacing missing and broken teeth. The services of a prosthodontic dentist usually require surgery, but other prosthodontic dentist services will not require surgery.
One example of services from a prosthodontic dentist that would require surgery is dental implants. Dental implants is when a dentist makes fake teeth to replace the natural teeth, but the teeth are put in permanently through dental surgery. Because the only way to really put in prosthetic teeth to act like natural teeth is to secure or anchor those teeth to the bone, this is how a dentist will install the teeth. Dental implants, installed by a prosthodontic dentist will be anchored to the jaw bone through surgery. But the dentist must create an anchor in the jaw bone first before installing the teeth. Creating an anchor in the dental jawbone requires one surgery while the installment of the actual dental implants will require another surgery. For a dentist to be able to perform such a serious dental surgery, opening up a hole through the dental tissues and into the oral bone tissue, a dental patient must have good dental health. There cannot be dental bone loss that would create the loss of the new false teeth that a dentist installs.
Prosthodontic dentist services often require surgery when dental patients lose teeth due to an accident. In this way a prosthodontic dentist may work together with a cosmetic dentist to restore a dental patient back to their normal dental facial structures with care. Prosthodontic dentist services would involve providing false teeth during the waiting period and post-surgery period of a dental patient before dental implants can be installed. A dentist may provide dentures for the dental patient during this waiting time before the dental services are complete.
Dentist services from a prosthodontic dentist may also include dental bridgework. Dental bridgework means that a dental patient has missing molar teeth. A dentist will usually not perform dental bridgework for front teeth. Bridgework is less expensive and less intense than the surgery and cost of dental implants. So, for missing teeth that are only for eating rather than the teeth that show in a smile, a prosthodontic dentist will fill in the hole of the missing teeth with some dental substances that would mimic a molar tooth, but the bridgework would not be anchored to the oral jaw bone. Rather the prosthodontic dentist would anchor the bridge to the two molar teeth on either side of the missing teeth, hence the name of dental "bridge" work.
A prosthodontic dentist must have more dental school training to perform such specialized services as bridgework and dental implants. Dental care and services from a prosthodontic dentist are focused on the care provided for repairing and replacing missing teeth only, not for the preventative care that a general dentist would perform on a routine basis. In fact, a general dentist may refer a dental patient to a prosthodontic dentist if the dental patient is in need of the specific dental services listed above.
