So many of you may be wondering or are possibly scared of what a dentist is looking for when you come in for your initial visit or on your general recall visit. What does a prosthodontist see that may be different from a general dentist or do I really need to see a Prosthodontist? Well, let me explain a little bit. For starters, you all need to know what the specialty of Prosthodontics is. The ADA (American Dental Association) has defined prosthodontics as “the dental specialty pertaining to the diagnosis, treatment planning, rehabilitation, and maintenance of oral function, comfort, appearance, and health of patients with clinical conditions associated with missing teeth or deficient teeth and/or oral maxillofacial tissues using biocompatible substitutes.”
I am a general practitioner, but I am also a specialist in Prosthodontics. So yes, I do General dentistry as well. I had three years of extended training in several areas of restorative dentistry, including dental implants, crowns, bridges, partial dentures, complete dentures, esthetics, occlusion (how your bite comes together and functions), and facial and dental birth developmental defects. My training also consisted of training me more on the technical and technological aspects of laboratory fabrication of complex dental prosthetics and complex restoration of dental and facial esthetics.
What does this all mean when I first examine a patient? Well put I am looking at the whole picture. When I am examining a patient of course I am looking to see if you have cavities or other oral disease, but I am also looking to see what the cause is outside of the normal too much sugar is in your diet. Many of you may believe that cavities are based on only the foods you consume, but that is not necessarily true. There are many factors, for example, your home care, medications, position of teeth etc. Many of you may also believe that cavities are the measure of a healthy mouth as well, and believe me, it is not only about cavities. My job is to ensure you know all these factors that affect you as an individual, as we are all different. And that you are taking the proper measures to mitigate gum disease, cavities and even loss of teeth.
How many factors are there? Well for the sake of this blog I will not go into all of them as there are many, but enough for you all to understand the importance of seeing a dentist regularly. Some factors that can cause harm are:
- Improper home care (Are you flossing and brushing properly multiple times a day)
- Diet (what types of foods and drinks are you consuming daily)
- Do you have any parafunctional habits like grinding or clenching
- Many more contributing factors
Our standard of care at our practice is to inform you and help you reach your maximum oral health. Many of you may also be wondering how much your teeth affect your overall health. As medicine has come a long way over the years, the best way I can help a patient understand is this: “It all starts with your mouth”. Your mouth has the second largest bacteria flora after your gut. So, how you treat your mouth is extremely important to your overall health. We are a health-focused practice. Our goal is to reduce oral disease so that your overall health is not affected but also to keep your beautiful smiles.
When you visit a Prosthodontist, you’re not just seeing a dentist. You’re seeing a professional who is trained to view your oral health from a uniquely detailed perspective.
