subject: Prosthodontics [print this page] A maxillofacial surgeon or a cosmetic dentist would most likely install dental implants. Dental patients receiving dental implants must be in good health. The bone of the dental patients receiving dental implants must be strong bone, no bone loss problems should be present. If there are bone loss problems that dental patients are having, the maxillofacial surgeon and/or cosmetic dentist will usually recommend another solution to replacing missing teeth. This is because dental patients must not have bone loss, but have bone in good health, for the dental patients to be considered as good candidates for dental implants.
Dental implants are meant for replacing missing teeth in with fake teeth that would be as close to natural teeth as possible. Dental implants are anchored to the jaw bone just like natural teeth have roots and teeth socket ligaments that anchor them to the jaw. Because the maxillofacial surgeon and/or cosmetic dentist must drill into the dental patients jaw bone to create an anchor for dental implants, a maxillofacial surgeon and/or cosmetic dentist will do an exam on dental patients before considering dental implants installation so that the maxillofacial surgeon and/or cosmetic dentist can ensure that the dental patients bone is in good health, that the patients over-all health is good and that the patients physical ability to heal from dental implants surgery and maintain dental implants with good health. This is part of the candidacy test for dental patients.
If dental implants are not an option because health of the dental patients, then other options such as dentures would be brought to the dental patients attention and the best options would be discussed and explained between the dental patients and the maxillofacial surgeon and/or cosmetic dentistry staff.
If dental patients believe that dental implants are not an option due to financial limitations there are also options for dental patients to have a dental school perform the same dental implants procedure at a much lower cost, with the risk that the dental school is having maxillofacial surgeon and/or cosmetic dentist's in training do the dental implants installation. Of course, the dental school will have licensed and professional maxillofacial surgeon supervisors present during the dental student-in-training's installation of the dental implants.
Another name for the dentistry work such as dental implants, a general title for maxillofacial surgeons and/or cosmetic dentists who replace missing teeth with fake teeth is called prosthodontics. Prosthodontics, or the dentistry field of work done by maxillofacial surgeon and cosmetic dentist, also includes the replacement and repair of broken teeth and/or damaged teeth as well as replacing missing teeth with so-called dental implants. Other options for missing teeth instead of dental implants would be bridgework which cements a bridge of dental metal between two permanent teeth, filling in the gap of missing teeth with dental metal, dental porcelain, and/or dental plastics. This type of option would be better chosen for missing teeth in the back of the oral cavity such as molars. Dental implants are more common in replacing missing teeth in the front of the mouth.
