Prosthodontics
Prosthodontists are dental specialists in the restoration and replacement of teeth. After completing four years of dental school, prosthodontists receive three additional years of specialized training in an American Dental Association (ADA) accredited graduate education program. Rigorous training provides prosthodontists with a special understanding of the dynamics of a smile, the preservation of a healthy mouth, and the creation of aesthetic and functional tooth replacements.
The prosthodontist deals with simple to complicated full mouth restorations that may involve crowns, veneers, fixed bridges, dentures, dental implants, or mixed implant and natural tooth restorations. They can also provide routine dental care. They are skilled in the management of TMJ-jaw joint problems, traumatic injuries to the mouth's structures and/or teeth and snoring or sleep disorders. Those prosthodontists with additional training in maxillofacial prosthetics are trained to manage oral cancer reconstruction and continuing care.
Serving as the "architect" of a dental treatment plan, prosthodontists collaborate with general dentists, other dental specialists and health care professionals to develop solutions to your dental concerns.
Your general dentist may refer you to a prosthodontist for more complex cases.