Prosthodontics: How this Specialty Can Improve Your Oral Health and Appearance

Prosthodontics is one of the nine dental specialties that the American Dental Association recognizes. If you have a health problem that’s caused by missing or deficient teeth or issues with maxillofacial tissues, you might benefit from prosthodontics. The specialty involves the diagnosis, treatment planning, rehabilitation, and maintenance of oral function, comfort, appearance, and health. Treatment involves using prosthetics (the replacement of missing parts with artificial structures) to repair tooth damage or replace missing teeth.

Specialists in prosthodontics, known as prosthodontists, complete dental training and then an additional three years to earn their degree.

If you are missing teeth or have teeth that don’t look and function as they should, you know that this issue affects much more than your appearance. Appearance is of course a very significant concern, as it impacts your self-confidence and quality of life, but tooth loss can also impact your ability to eat and speak comfortably and effectively.

Here’s a look at some of the procedures prosthodontists can use to improve how your smile looks and works:

• Dental Veneers: Dental veneers are thin, custom shells that are bonded to the front of the teeth. They can improve the appearance and proportion of your smile and can be used to repair broken, misshapen, or permanently stained teeth.
• Crowns: Crowns can go along way to improving a broken or cracked tooth. In addition, a crown can hold together a tooth when it’s structure is damaged.
• Dental Implants: A dental implant can be used to replace a tooth that falls out or has been removed.
• Dentures: Dentures can be a great solution if you lose teeth for several reasons (such as tooth decay or gum disease). With dentures, a prosthetic device, you’ll be able to chew better, speak normally, and feel more confident in your appearance.
• Bridges: Dental bridges are a short row of prosthetics that replace missing teeth and keep nearby teeth from moving into the space left by the missing tooth.

If you’d like to learn more about prosthodontics and how certain areas of the specialty might help you, visit our information page.