Spokane Prosthodontist

A prosthodontist is a dentist who receives an additional three years of specialized training in complex dental matters, dental restoration, and aesthetic treatment planning. Since the primary purpose of a prosthodontist is to help rebuild your smile, they are often called oral architects.

Pacific Northwest Prosthodontics, your Spokane prosthodontists, are equipped to handle the most complicated and complex dental cases involving broken teeth, missing teeth, crowns, dentures, jaw disorders, bridges, dental implants, and the like.

Education and Training

Our Spokane prosthodontists have bachelor's degrees in dentistry, after which they must complete additional three years of education and residency.

They have the following qualifications:

  1. Bachelor's degree
  2. Dental School
  3. National Board Dental Examinations to become either Doctors of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry (DMD), each with the same level of education.
  4. 3-year postgraduate residency and education in the ADA-accredited program.

What Your Spokane Prosthodontist Can Offer

Full Mouth Reconstruction (FMR)

Full Mouth Reconstruction is replacing and rebuilding all teeth in a patient's mouth. Patients who usually need a prosthodontist for the FMR are traditionally those with tooth decay, multiple missing teeth, crooked teeth, and teeth cracked and worn by bruxism. Also, patients born with Ectodermal Dysplasia, Dentin genesis Imperfecta, and Ameliogenesis will need extensive teeth reconstruction.

Cosmetic Prosthodontic Procedures

It is the process of using special dentistry procedures to improve the appearance of your smile. Prosthodontists in Spokane use dental veneers to align your teeth and give them even spacing; they replace missing teeth with partial dentures, bridges, or dental implants. They use prosthodontics to enhance lips and cheeks for a fuller smile.

Dental Implant Therapy and Restorations

You will need to consider dental implants if you have missing teeth. Implants are prosthetic roots and artificial tooth restoration. It consists of a metal post topped by a dental crown to replace the missing tooth and its root.

All-on-4 Dentures

Dentures are multiple teeth replacement prosthetics. They can replace a few teeth or an entire row of upper or lower teeth. All-on-4 denture implants secure dentures on the teeth arch. All-on-4 dentures are mostly recommended for patients who have lost all or most of their teeth. However, prosthodontists confirm that the patients have a fair jawbone density.

Inlays and Onlays

Inlays and onlays are used when the teeth are not strong enough to support a basic filling but do not necessarily need a dental crown.

Dental Bridges

They are customized prostheses to fill the gaps created by missing teeth lost due to decay or accidents. Bridges help with speech and reduce discomfort while chewing.

Dental Bonding

Dental bonding is a procedure whereby prosthodontists use veneers which have been colored like your teeth to cover imperfections like gaps and stains.

Dental Crowns

Tooth decay and wear can cause pain and discomfort for patients and make their smiles ugly. Prosthodontists help replace damaged teeth with dental crowns and prosthetic coverings for teeth. Crowns are proven to help protect teeth, repair them over time, and improve their aesthetic appearance.

When You Should See Your Spokane Prosthodontists

You should see a prosthodontist when you need:

• Solutions to Jaw pain and/or sleeping Issues

These are common symptoms of temporomandibular disorders. The muscles and joints around your jaw make up the temporomandibular area of your body. Issues concerning this area are often referred to as Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD) or Temporomandibular Problem (TMP). TMD is more noticeable as patients experience discomfort while yawning, chewing, or sleeping. A prosthodontist helps find a solution to this by providing the right treatment.

• Maxillofacial Repairs

Prosthodontists carry out oral prosthetic rehabilitation to correct injuries obtained from facial trauma. They are specialists in replacements of missing teeth or jaws misaligned from traumatic injuries to the mouth, teeth, and face.

• Oral Cancer Reconstruction

Patients who have oral cancer may need surgery to remove the cancerous growth. Afterward, a prosthodontist performs oral cancer reconstruction surgery to address the cosmetic and aesthetic issues.

• Denture Implant Fit and Placement

Prosthodontists are experts in the fixture and placement of crowns, partial or non-partial bridges, and removable or solid dentures. A prosthodontist first assesses your gums and jawbone to determine the most appropriate size and shape and then creates an implant to those specifications.

Difference Between Prosthodontists and Cosmetic Dentists

Most people usually have a bit of confusion while trying to differentiate between these two. It should, however, be noted that the major difference between a prosthodontist and a cosmetic dentist is in their education. While a cosmetic dentist, after completing a few cosmetic dentistry procedure courses, becomes a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and has access to cosmetic procedures and techniques. A prosthodontist participates in a 3-year American Dental Association program to become recognized as an ADA specialist. They are professional experts in prosthodontics, restorative procedures, and dental reconstruction. They also often lead in matters of special oral care, like surgery, as they are trained to handle the most complex dental cases.

What to Expect at the Prosthodontist’s

Since prosthodontists are considered dental experts, your general dentist can refer you to one when the need arises. However, a prosthodontist appointment can be different from your regular dental routine. This specialist helps deal with an issue concerning your teeth or mouth. It may be the look, the function, or just general discomfort. Depending on the situation, some things are involved in most prosthodontist procedures.

• Dental History

Your prosthodontist would much more likely ask you about your dental history, so be prepared to discuss with them anything that has affected the current condition of your teeth. You may tell them your concerns about any dental issues, and they will perform a thorough examination to help figure out the problem. Your prosthodontist would let you know if you need a more complex procedure like dentures or dental implants, fix more appointments, and educate you on the process. Prosthodontists need your dental history to help them know if you have had any previous dental conditions, allergies, and lifestyle habits, which would allow them know the way forward.

• Physical Exam

The prosthodontist will inspect your mouth with high-intensity lights, mirrors, and other dental equipment during your physical dental exam. It entails careful inspection of the tooth surface for decay or cracks and checking for gum disease or any other underlying dental condition.

• Oral cancer screening

The prosthodontist would then examine your mouth, lips, gums, and lungs for early signs of cancer, just in case. Smokers, cigar smokers, pipe smokers, chewing tobacco users, frequent drinkers, oral cancer survivors, and others have a higher chance of developing oral cancer.

• X-rays

X-ray scans are used only when necessary to check anomalies that aren't ordinarily seen.

With the array of dental procedures available at Pacific Northwest Prosthodontics, rest assured we’ve got you covered. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and let us help you achieve optimal oral health and a winning smile.