prosthodontics

Prosthodontics is a dental specialty devoted to the restoration and replacement of missing or defective teeth and adjacent oral structures. Practitioners plan and execute treatment to restore function, comfort, aesthetics, and overall oral health, including rehabilitation after trauma, decay, or congenital conditions.

Scope and devices: Prosthodontists work with removable appliances such as complete and partial dentures, fixed prostheses such as crowns and bridges, and implant-supported restorations. They also design and fit overdentures and, when needed, maxillofacial prostheses for patients with facial or oral defects. Treatment planning emphasizes occlusion, aesthetics, phonetics, and long-term maintenance.

Procedures and materials: The process includes assessment, diagnostic records, treatment planning, impression taking, model fabrication, prosthesis fabrication, try-ins, delivery, and follow-up. Materials used range from ceramics, polymers, and metals to implant components. Digital technologies such as intraoral scanning, CAD/CAM fabrication, and 3D printing increasingly support design and manufacturing.

Education and practice: In addition to a dental degree, prosthodontists complete advanced postdoctoral training. In many countries, they pursue board certification or accredited fellowships. Collaboration with surgeons, periodontists, orthodontists, and dental technicians is common, especially for implant therapy and complex reconstructions.

History and evolving role: Prosthodontics has evolved with advances in implant dentistry and digital dentistry, expanding beyond removable and fixed restorations to complex rehabilitations of soft and hard tissues. The specialty emphasizes interdisciplinary care and patient-centered outcomes, including function, comfort, and appearance.