Restore Smile

Imagine this scenario: Your friends are all gathering for a group shot. They're all encouraging you to join in. You want to, but you're embarrassed about how your teeth might look. You end up sitting out on the picture, and you feel miserable and sad about it.

There are many reasons you may feel self-conscious about your smile. Perhaps you have a chipped tooth. Maybe your teeth are stained from too much coffee or wine. It could be that pain from an infected tooth is keeping you from even wanting to smile. Whether you're in pain or your teeth just don't look the way you wish they did, you may want to consider visiting a prosthodontist.

At Pacific Northwest Prosthodontics, we can ease your pain and restore your smile. In fact, this is exactly what prosthodontics is for.

What is Prosthodontics?

Prosthodontics is a branch of dentistry that is focused on complex dental and facial issues. While a general dentist performs all-important routine exams and treats tooth decay and periodontal (gum) disease, a prosthodontist is a specialist in replacing and restoring teeth. This may involve creating dental appliances to take the place of natural teeth and include dental implants or dentures.

A prosthodontist is also skilled at restoring missing bones in the jaw or the face due to genetic deformity or an accident. Your general dentist may also install crowns or whiten your teeth. However, a prosthodontist has gone through extensive additional education to become an expert in dental prosthetics and cosmetic dentistry.

Here are a few of the specialized services a prosthodontist can provide:

  • Bridges
  • Crowns
  • Dental implants
  • Dentures (Partial and Full)
  • Veneers

Many prosthodontists are also skilled at working with people who have had oral cancer, those who experience TMJ/TMD, and those who have sleep apnea/snoring issues.

When Should You Plan a Trip to the Prosthodontist?

You might be wondering when you should be calling your general dentist and when you should be contacting your local prosthodontist. If you think you have a cavity or you're experiencing bleeding in your gums, your general dentist should be your first call. They should be able to help you resolve these issues.

However, there are situations in which you should call your prosthodontist instead of your dentist. These may include, but are not limited to:

  • Your tooth or jaw has been badly damaged in an accident.
  • You have had to have a tooth or multiple teeth extracted/you have missing teeth.
  • Your tooth has been cracked after eating something hard.
  • Your teeth have become stained.
  • You have issues with sleeping and/or snoring.
  • You have pain in your jaw.

A prosthodontist can evaluate your situation and offer the best solution for resolving the problem. Let's go into a little more detail of how we can restore your smile.

Bridges and Crowns

If your teeth are cracked or chipped, they can seem unsightly, not to mention that the damage may be causing you pain. To ease this pain, your prosthodontist may apply a crown or a bridge. A crown is a cap that goes over a tooth to cover chips or cracks. A bridge involves more than one crown, and these crowns hold a pontic, or replacement tooth, in place.

The procedure for getting crowns done is not complicated. If there is an infection in the tooth the crown is being attached to, you may first need to have a root canal done. Once that's taken care of, your prosthodontist will prepare your tooth for the crown. They may need to remove some of the enamel or part of the tooth in order to create a surface that will securely take a crown.

A crown will be made from an impression or a 3D image of your tooth. You will get a temporary crown placed while your permanent crown is being made. This can take a week or two if it needs to go to a lab. Once your custom-made crown is ready, your prosthodontist will remove the temporary crown and attach the permanent crown with dental glue or cement. If you are getting crowns to serve as a bridge, the pontic(s) will be added and the whole appliance will be attached. Crowns and pontics can be made with a material that is the same color as your natural teeth. These will, therefore, blend in well when you flash your teeth for a smile!

Dental Implants

Dental implants take the place of a tooth that has been lost due to being knocked out or extracted. They are a permanent restoration. Implants have three parts: a post, an abutment, and a crown. The post is embedded in your jawbone. This takes some time to heal, but once it does, the abutment will be attached to the post. That also takes some time to heal. The final step in the process is the placement of the crown (custom-made to match your teeth) on the abutment.

Veneers/Whitening

Over time, teeth can become stained. Coffee, wine, tea, and fruit juices, among other things, can dull the color of your teeth. A prosthodontist can help with that. An exam and a consultation can determine if veneers would help or if teeth whitening would be a better option.

A veneer is a thin shell made from porcelain or composite resin that fits right over the front of a tooth (or teeth). It's made to match the color of your natural teeth. Once a veneer has been shaped and smoothed to fit perfectly on your tooth, the prosthodontist will attach it with permanent cement.

Your prosthodontist may suggest whitening your teeth instead of going with veneers. Whitening, of course, is something you can do with over-the-counter products. However, it's important to be careful about the process so you don't damage your teeth. It may be better to consider working with your prosthodontist tot whiten your teeth.

At Pacific Northwest Prosthodontics, whitening can be done right in our office. We can ensure that this procedure is safe for your teeth and results in a bright, healthy smile.

Dentures

If you are missing a group of teeth—or all of your teeth—there are implants that can help with that. If you're not interested in something that invasive, however, you might consider dentures as an alternative.

A prosthodontist can provide either partial or full dentures. When your gums are healed from any extractions that were needed, an impression will be made. That impression will be used to make dentures that will look just like natural teeth. The prosthodontist will check to ensure a perfect fit, then you're ready to go.

Most dentures are made so that they are a tight enough fit to stay in place. You may need to use some dental adhesive if you find they are not staying in place. Dentures require a little care to keep them in good shape but rest assured that when you smile, no one will know they aren't your natural teeth.

Are You in Need of a Prosthodontist?

If your smile isn't exactly the way you want it, Pacific Northwest Prosthodontics wants to help. If you're in the Spokane, Washington, area, contact us to set up an appointment today!