Tooth loss is a common dental issue, however, the prevalence has drastically declined among older adults.
According to a 2020 study, 1 in 5 adults aged above 75 years had lost all their teeth. Overall, approximately 178 million Americans have lost at least one tooth.
Regardless of the cause of your tooth loss, you may be thinking of replacing them and for that, dentures are one of the options.
But who makes the dentures? Read on to learn more about the type of dentist you need to contact to get yourself a nice set of dentures.
What is prosthodontics?
Prosthodontics is a specialized branch of dentistry that focuses on creating dental prosthetics (artificial teeth and surrounding structures) to replace missing teeth.
The term “prostho” directly translates to “replacement”, and “dontist” means dealing with teeth.
In this field of dentistry, prosthodontists are specialized dentists who can replace any oral structure ranging from a single tooth to multiple teeth, complete with the gums and mucosa in the mouth.
Who is a prosthodontist?
A prosthodontist is a dental specialist who receives extended training in restoring and replacing teeth by fabricating restorative treatments.
To specialize in this subject, prosthodontists must first complete dental school, after which they must complete three additional years of residency training and education in a CODA-accredited prosthodontic graduate program.
This means that they must complete a “DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) prosthodontics” or “DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine) prosthodontics)”. To become a licensed prosthodontist, they must then pursue board certification.
These specialists are highly trained in treating dental and facial abnormalities, including restoring lost teeth.
What do prosthodontists specialize in?
A prosthodontist is trained in restoring and replacing teeth and oral structures with artificial substitutes. These can include fabricating crowns, bridges, dentures, and implants.
Additionally, a prosthodontist can help identify jaw-related problems as they routinely treat TMJ structural disorders.
Getting dentures: What are they?
Dentures are removable dental appliances with artificial teeth that are used to replace missing teeth in the upper or lower jaw or both. These teeth are supported by the surrounding artificial tissues, giving a natural look upon wear.
Prosthodontists and dental technicians create dentures from materials like acrylic, resin, or porcelain.
Types of dentures
Conventionally, dentures are removable. A set of dentures replace both the upper and lower teeth, serving as a valuable tool in chewing and speaking.
Today, there are new and innovative denture designs that rely on implant technology to permanently secure or bond them to the bone. These are called fixed appliances.
Dental care is of utmost importance with these devices as they can promote food impaction and foster bacterial growth between the base plate of the appliance and the palate (roof of the mouth).
Full dentures: A full denture (FD) is indicated for completely edentulous people (having no teeth). They rest on top of your gums and rely on the palate or the lower jawbone ridge for support. Some may even use a special type of adhesive to keep these appliances in place.
People with FDs are recommended to take them out at night to give their mouth a rest, thereby promoting better oral health.
Partial dentures: If you’re missing one or more of your teeth in either jaw but not all your teeth, removable partial dentures (RPD) may be the right option for you. Similar to FDs, these appliances will rely on your gums and underlying jawbone for support.
Most of the time, RPDs are designed with special clasps that hook around your remaining natural teeth to provide better stability and retention.
Immediate dentures: Severely decayed or damaged teeth may require extractions. While you wait for your dentures following these extractions, you may be given an immediate denture, which like the name suggests, is to be worn immediately after tooth extractions.
They are typically temporary appliances and will be replaced with final dentures once the tooth socket has fully healed.
Implant-retained dentures: Instead of relying on your underlying bone and tissues for support, these implant-retained dentures attach to dental implants, which are small titanium posts that are surgically placed into your jawbone to function as teeth roots.
Much like conventional ones, implant-retained dentures are also removable. They are much more stable than their counterparts as they “snap on” to implants anchored to your jawbone, eliminating the need for adhesive. Therefore, they are called “snap-on dentures”.
Implant-supported dentures: Similar to implant-retained appliances, implant-supported dentures are also secured with the help of dental implants, however, they require a greater number of implants (typically six or eight) to be surgically placed in the jawbone.
This offers the patients more freedom while eating as this appliance can withstand greater bite forces, restoring the lifelike feeling of chewing. For this reason, they are non-removable (therefore, called permanent or hybrid dentures).
The treatment can take months to complete. They also require thorough daily cleaning and regular oral health care.
What types of dental prostheses can prosthodontists make?
Prosthodontists offer treatment plans for cosmetic concerns by providing services like dentures and other dental prostheses to elevate aesthetics.
- Dental crowns and dental bridges
- Inlays and Onlays
- Implant dentistry services
Benefits of choosing a prosthodontist
Missing teeth go beyond just aesthetics.
They can lead to poor diet, low self-esteem, and lower quality of life. Prosthodontists may offer denture services to address these issues:
- Shifting natural teeth leads to misalignment and bite problems
- Bone loss and deterioration
- Gum disease
- Chewing and digestion issues
- Speech difficulties
- Low self-confidence
What is the difference between other types of dentists and a prosthodontist?
While prosthodontists work closely with other dental specialties, it is important to know which type of dentist to see for your specific dental needs.
General Dentist
General dentists and prosthodontists are similar but not the same. General dentists offer dental services such as routine dental cleanings and restorative dentistry services like fillings.
They often offer cosmetic dentistry services like teeth whitening and also perform root canals (removing the nerve of a tooth) in case of severe tooth damage.
They are not specialized in a particular field and may refer you to a prosthodontist if you are seeking dentures.
Oral Surgeon
An Oral Surgeon is a specialist best known for wisdom tooth extractions. They also perform surgical interventions to correct misaligned jaws, facial trauma surgery in accident cases, and bone grafts.
Orthodontist
An Orthodontist is a specialist who makes braces to correct malocclusion and other bite-related dental issues. They also offer clear aligners and retainers to keep your teeth straight for a long time.
See a prosthodontist for dentures
Are you missing one or more teeth and need to replace missing or damaged teeth? Dental prostheses, such as dentures or dental implants, can help improve the appearance of your smile and rebuild your self-confidence.
See a general dentist or prosthodontist to get yourself a brand-new set of teeth.
