Your Smithers Invisalign® Provider
You might have heard of a prosthodontist – but what do they actually do, and how can they help you? Our Smithers dentists provide a few facts on what this specialist does and what type of dental surgery they perform.
What is prosthodontics?
Like other parts of our body, our teeth can become badly damaged due to disease or trauma, cavities, teeth grinding, restorations that fail, or acid exposure/erosion (from disease or diet), or not enough saliva.
While your general dentist may be able to resolve some issues, if your case is more complex, we may refer you to a prosthodontist for comprehensive treatment and dental surgery.
Prosthodontics is a specialty and branch of dentistry that involves the diagnosis, restoration and maintenance of a patient’s oral function, appearance, health and comfort.
What is a prosthodontist?
A prosthodontist is a dental specialist who has successfully completed an accredited advanced educational program in prosthodontics.
This highly skilled individual holds a specialty designation from a provincial dental regulatory body. He or she has 2 to 3 years of additional training in clinical restorative procedures beyond a general dental degree.
A prosthodontist is an expert in diagnosing dental issues, planning treatments and preventing further dental issues. Think of a prosthodontist as an 'oral architect'. They develop treatment plans and ensure treatment sequences are synchronized between medical and dental specialists, as well as general dentists to provide the most comprehensive patient care. With a prosthodontist's services, your natural teeth are restored, and missing teeth or tissues are replaced with artificial substitutes.
While the dentists at Driftwood Dental can complete restorations, we would send specialized cases to a prosthodontist.
Which services does a prosthodontist offer?
A prosthodontist offers a wide range of dental surgery services, such as:
- Bridges
- Crowns
- Fillings
- Cosmetic procedures
- Implants
- Mouth guards
- Veneers
When would we refer you to a prosthodontist?
For patients who have suffered serious damage to their teeth through trauma or as a result of injury or disease, their case may be so advanced that it requires high-quality attention and care from a prosthodontist.
At Driftwood Dental, we assess patients and make evaluations on a case-by-case basis and can tell you whether a prosthodontist would be the best dental professional to perform your procedure.