3 Restorative Dental Implements That a Prosthodontist Can Provide to You

Sometimes, all you may need is a dental appliance to help you smile, look and even feel better. That's when a prosthodontist will come to your mind. Prosthodontists can attach special dental implements, e.g. dentures, crowns and bridges, to replace missing or damaged natural teeth. The following points will explain how these three dental aids work and when you might need to use them.

Dentures

Basically, dentures are removable dental devices that are designed to replace missing teeth. When you're using dentures for the first time, it is perfectly normal to feel a bit strange in the short term, as these devices take time to adjust to your facial profile and dental structure.

Since a denture is an artificial replacement, it can never match the natural feel and function of your missing teeth. However, in time, as you get more comfortable wearing dentures, you'll find them to be one of your cherished companions, allowing you to chew food easily and socialise with other people freely.

Bridges

As their name suggests, dental bridges are literally used to cover the spaces that are left behind where one or more natural teeth are missing. Bridges can be cemented to natural teeth or dental implants found around the place where the missing teeth once existed.

Typically, a bridge consist of one or more artificial teeth, usually referred to as pontics, which are firmly held in position by a pair of dental crowns. More so, a broad array of materials, e.g. gold and silver amalgam, can be used to make the replacement teeth used in bridges. However, many of these teeth are made from porcelain due to aesthetic considerations.

Crowns

Crowns, also referred to as caps, are artificial dental restoration devices, which are measured to fit over the missing part of a damaged tooth to make it strong and give it the shape and appearance of a normal tooth. Hence, crowns are suitable if your tooth is partly damaged and not completely lost. You may need a crown if you have a root canal, a large filling in a tooth or a broken tooth.

In many cases, crowns are an ideal way to fix broken teeth, those that have been damaged by decay in the root canal or teeth with a large filling. A crown will improve the appearance of the affected teeth, protect what's left of teeth with a large filling, and may also help to firmly hold dentures or bridges in place.

All in all, nothing so far can equal the satisfaction of having healthy natural teeth. However, if you're missing natural teeth, a prosthodontist can provide you with any of the above-discussed dental appliances to enable you speak, smile and eat more comfortably. For more information, talk to an experienced dentist in your area. 

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