IMPLANT PROSTHETIC DENTISTRY – ELITE DENTAL CARE, TRACY

What is a Prosthetic Dentistry?

Prosthetic dentistry, otherwise called as dental prosthetics or Prosthodontics is a segment of dentistry that focuses on dental prostheses. A prosthesis, in general, refers to the replacement of a missing body part and restore its function. Therefore dental prosthesis refers to the restoration of an intraoral defect such as a missing tooth or missing structures of the jaw. With prosthodontics, the natural smile gets restored with the restoration of the dental implants and rehabilitation of the occlusion, which is the space between the maxillary and mandibular teeth as they approach each other. The dentist who specializes in prosthodontics is known as a Prosthodontist.

What are the dental health conditions that require prosthesis?

The regular dental defects are usually treated with general dentistry such as to restore the normal function, contour and speech. But when the ailments are severe or the number of missing teeth increases, prosthetic treatment is required. A few conditions that require prosthodontics are:

Bruxism:Bruxism is the clenching or grinding of teeth subconsciously and even in the sleep. It wears out the enamel and the pressure exerted by the teeth on each other leads to the damage of teeth and gums.
Edentulism: This is the condition when a normal human loses his/her teeth, gradually reaching a stage of no teeth.
Occlusal Trauma:When excess force is exerted on teeth, they misalign badly.
Osteonecrosis of the Jaw:It is a situation when the cells of the jawbone begin to die owing to the consumption of medicines that strengthen bones.

What are the modes of dental prosthetics?

Bridge:It is a permanent fixation for the missing tooth by joining an artificial tooth to the adjacent one.
Crown: It is a dental cap that covers or protects the teeth or dental implant.
Veneer:A layer of material covering the tooth to protect it from the damage.
Removable Partial Denture:This is to support the bridge by replacing the missing tooth.
Complete Denture: It is a prosthetic replacement used when one loses all the teeth in a particular jaw.
Fixed Prosthodontics:Permanent dental restorations like the placing of crowns, bridges, veneers.
Implant Dentistry:Used to restore the defective teeth with implant surgery.

What are the pre-implant procedures?

Before a dental implant is installed in the mouth, a few procedures are followed. Firstly, the patient is screened thoroughly, and his/her medical history is also studied well by the Prosthodontist. The patient must inform the doctor if he/she is a diabetic or possess any other medical ailment. The intraoral examination involves scrutinizing the arches and evaluating the bones. The natural teeth adjacent to the implant is checked for defects, and all the risk factors are taken into account. Only after the detailed analysis of the patient’s situation, the dentist proceeds with the surgery.

What are the types of Implant-supported Prosthesis?

Metal Acrylic Resin Prosthesis

It is the primary type of fixed implant prosthesis and has been used widely because of its long-term results, durability and reliability. A metal framework is fabricated that attach to the implants and retain the acrylic resin and artificial teeth. To ensure that it perfectly fits into your mouth, technologies like CAD/CAM are used to fabricate these metal prosthesis. These prostheses are screw-retained to the abutment sites(implant that provides support to the prosthesis) and hence are easily removable in case of a repair or for adjustments.

Metal Ceramic Prosthesis

The ceramic material helps to retain dental aesthetics. The color of the ceramic is matched to that of the regular teeth so that there is no compromise with your smile. Being made of metal, these prostheses are also highly durable and reliable.

Initially, a full contour wax-up of the fabrication is done, which is then cut to achieve the ideal veneered ceramic thickness and is then scanned. CAM procedure uses this scanned image to create a metal framework from ceramic alloy.

Though these prostheses offer a better look than the metal acrylic resin type, the ceramic may fracture or chip which becomes difficult to repair.

All-Ceramic Prostheses

All-ceramic prostheses are similar to the metal-ceramic ones except for the fact that the substructure is made of ceramic instead of metal. It enhances the look of the teeth because it is easy to match the color of the ceramic to the natural teeth. But again, the ceramic can be fractured or chipped, which leads to difficulty in repair.

What are the benefits of the Implant-supported Prosthesis?

The implant-supported prosthesis matches with the remaining natural teeth and also restore the normal function of the teeth.
These dental prosthetics help you to speak, smile and chew your food better.
You do not have to shy away or feel a lack of confidence while speaking or smiling. Thus your self-esteem is boosted.
Your overall dental health is improved, and with proper care, you can extend the life of your remaining natural teeth.

Elite Dental Care provides the best dental care with implant-supported Prosthetic dentistry that restores the normal function of your teeth and boosts your self-esteem.