Prosthetics in Dentistry: Beyond Aesthetic

The goal of every dental care provider is to help patients preserve their natural teeth by maintaining good oral health. Unfortunately, some patients still experience degeneration and tooth loss as a result of decay, disease, injury, age, or even as a result of medication side effects. When tooth loss occurs, a person's quality of life and health can be significantly reduced, as having an incomplete smile hinders your ability to chew, eat, and maintain balanced nutrition. Missing teeth can also affect the way you speak and change the way you look, making you feel less confident and happy. 

Thankfully, an entire branch of dentistry exists for the purpose of restoring smiles that have been damaged for any reason. This type of dentistry is known as restorative dentistry, and dental prosthetics are one of the primary avenues of restorative treatment. 

What Are Dental Prosthetics?

Dental prosthetics (also called prosthodontics) are a specific category of restorative dental treatments that use artificially created dental devices (called prostheses) to address a variety of oral health problems. Dental prostheses improve the smile's aesthetic appearance while also restoring its complete form and function. 

Dental prosthetics differ from other types of restorative dental treatments, such as dental bonding, in that they are created using advanced computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology. Other restorative dental treatments such as dental bonding and tooth-colored fillings are applied directly to the tooth before being shaped, sculpted, and textured in place. 

How Are Dental Prosthetics Used?

Dental prosthetics can be used in both cosmetic dentistry and restorative dentistry because most types of dental prosthetics provide both restorative and aesthetic benefits, improving the appearance of the smile while also restoring its form and function. 

Dental prosthetics are most commonly used to replace missing teeth and to restore and protect severely damaged teeth. Dental prosthetics can safeguard a person's oral health and restore the full function of the teeth while also enhancing the aesthetic appearance of the smile. 

Prosthetic Dentistry Treatment Options With Our Restorative and Cosmetic Dentist in Owensboro

Some of the most commonly used dental prosthetics include the following:

Dental Implants

Dental implants are a lifelong treatment designed to replace missing teeth while supporting jawbone and oral health. They can be used to replace individual teeth, consecutive missing teeth, and entire arches of teeth with a variety of prosthetic options. 

Dental Crowns

When a tooth is severely damaged and at risk of needing to be extracted, a dental crown is often the only available solution to saving the natural tooth. Porcelain dental crowns look just like natural teeth, and they're designed to fit securely over a damaged tooth. Dental crowns seal and strengthen the tooth, preventing it from needing to be extracted. 

Dental Bridges

When a patient is missing one or multiple consecutive teeth, a dental bridge is usually the most efficient way to replace all of the teeth with a single prosthetic. Patients have an option of a variety of dental bridges that differ primarily in the way they are supported or anchored in the mouth (i.e. with dental implants, wires and dental bonding, or with dental crowns and natural teeth). 

Full and Partial Dentures

Dentures are one of the most well-known dental prosthetics. Full and partial dentures are designed to replace all or most of the teeth on both or either arches of teeth. Traditional dentures are removable and have come a long way in recent years in terms of their fit, function, and aesthetic look. Additional options for dentures are available now, too, such as implant-supported dentures which offer the benefits of dental implants and the efficiency of tooth replacement with dentures. 

Inlays and Onlays

Inlays and onlays are made of tooth-colored porcelain. They work like large dental fillings that are designed to replace the entire chewing surface of a tooth, either up to the cusps (inlays) or over the cusps (onlays). 

Dental Veneers

Dental veneers are purely cosmetically-purposed dental prosthetics. These wafer-thin, tooth-shaped, porcelain shells are designed to fit snugly over the visible surfaces of the teeth to create a completely new look. They can be used to mask permanent discoloration, hide abnormally sized or shaped teeth, cover up irregular tooth gaps, create the appearance of a straight smile, and improve the overall balance and symmetry of the smile.  

Expect Excellence: Comprehensive Dental Care at the Center for Cosmetic & General Dentistry

At the Center for Cosmetic & General Dentistry, function and aesthetics meet with our comprehensive restorative, prosthetic, and cosmetic treatments. Our experienced dentists specialize in creating personalized treatment plans designed to help our patients improve their oral health, restore the complete function of their smiles, and help them feel happy about showing off their smiles.

If you are missing teeth or living with the pain and discomfort of significantly damaged teeth, we encourage you to learn more about how prosthetic dentistry can help you restore your smile, health, and quality of life. Please contact our dental office in Owensboro to request a consultation today.