Prosthodontics

What you should know about prosthodontics?

Prosthodontics is the area of dentistry devoted to restoring teeth which are broken down or missing, causing problems in both the function (bite) and appearance of the teeth. Common restorations are crowns and/or bridges and dentures. Dental Implants are often used in prosthodontics to replace missing roots, which aid in anchoring crowns, bridges, and dentures. Our goal is to make the new teeth so lifelike that it is impossible to discern real teeth from the restorations.

How does prosthodontics help?

Crowns

Dental crowns fit over your natural teeth after the tooth has been shaped to accept the crown. You may need a crown or crowns for the following reasons:

• Cracked tooth
• Large cavity
• After root canal therapy
• Failing existing crown
• Worn fillings

Bridges

A bridge is a replacement for a missing tooth and is attached to the adjacent teeth. A bridge can help you avoid dental problems which often occur when a tooth is lost. These problems may include but are not limited to:

• The tooth opposite the missing one may extrude from its socket. This is called supereruption.
• The missing tooth can make it difficult to chew.
• As the bite shifts, problems may result in TMJ (temporomandibular joint disfunction.)
• As the teeth shift, it makes them more difficult to clea, which can lead to periodontal disease.

If many of your teeth are loose, missing, or painful, it may be difficult or impossible to save them. Advanced periodontal disease usually causes these conditions. If not caught and treated in time, periodontal disease and the resulting bone loss will often cause tooth loss. Replacing missing teeth with dentures may be the best way to get rid of the infection and allow your mouth to return to a healthy state.