Many people are completely unaware that they grind or clench their teeth frequently. It’s a habit that can carry over from childhood, and since it isn’t as obvious as other general dentistry no-nos like sucking one’s thumb, parents may not notice the habit has developed.

As you get older, the habit continues, and you may never be aware that you have been doing it for years. Even your dentist may not be able to successfully identify the problem as teeth grinding, since it can look like a number of other problems.

Try to pay extra attention to the way you hold your jaw. You may clench your teeth when:

* You are thinking hard or concentrating
* You are angry, upset, or stressed
* You are sleeping and having erratic dreams
* You are focusing on a repetitive task

If you frequently do any of these activities, try to tune in every now and then and note the position of your jaw.

Some people never notice that they are grinding or clenching their teeth and damaging their prosthodontics, but they may be able to notice the after-effects. You may notice that your teeth ache slightly or feel strained, or that your jaw is a little stiff. Especially when sleeping, take note if your jaw feels tired or stiff when you wake up. Obviously you’ll find it very difficult to see if you’re grinding your teeth in your sleep, so the after-effects may be the only way to find out what’s happening.

If you can break the habit of clenching or grinding your teeth, your crowns, bridges and caps will last much longer. It may even be the reason you needed prosthodontics in the first place, so learning to break the habit could keep you from more work in the future.

If you’ve decided you’d like to get your teeth whitened, there are lots of great ways to do that. But if you have crowns, bridges, caps or other prosthodontics in prominent areas of your mouth, you should consider a few options for keeping your whole smile consistent.

When you have prosthodontics, they have been matched to your existing tooth color. If you get your teeth whitened, the prosthodontics will not also become whitened with your natural teeth. The stains and lasers they use to whiten teeth are designed to work with natural enamel, not the artificial materials that crowns, bridges and caps are made of.

If you haven’t yet gotten your prosthodontics and are considering teeth whitening, tell your general dentistry practitioner before you ever begin. They will either wait to put on your crowns, bridges or caps until you have already completed the tooth whitening to your satisfaction, or attempt to match the prosthodontics to the tooth color you are aiming to achieve for your natural teeth.

If you already have crowns, bridges, caps or other prosthodontics, explain to your general dentistry practitioner that you are thinking of tooth whitening and ask what the options are for matching your natural teeth to the prosthodontics.

Your dentist may recommend that you get the prosthodontics replaced in a different color matched to the new teeth, but they may also have some ideas for making the transition seem natural.

In some cases, matching your crowns, bridges or caps may not even be necessary. If you have a crown on a back molar, for example, the difference in tooth color is not likely to be noticeable to anyone, and you may choose to keep your prosthodontics just as they are.

We still highly recommend you talk to your general dentistry practitioner before undergoing tooth whitening when you have already undergone prosthodonics procedures or anticipate getting crowns, bridges, caps or any other cosmetic dental work.

They may have just the solution you’re looking for to get that perfect smile.

Crowns and Caps

A dental crown can last anywhere from five to fifteen years, though the lower end of that scale is a pretty good indication that either the crown was not properly set or that you have an oral habit that is damaging the crown and wearing it down before its time.

Grinding your teeth in your sleep, for example, is one of the things that can limit the lifetime of your prosthodontics. Your general dentistry specialist should be able to tell if this is the problem that has shortened the lifespan of your crown.

Bridges

Dental bridges also have a lifespan of 5-15 years, but the dangers to shortening that time are slightly different. Bridges are seriously susceptible to dental diseases, since damaging the structure of the teeth the bridge is bonded to will weaken the bridge.

Bridges need a solid foundation, so keeping your teeth healthy is essential to making these prosthodontics last longer.

General dentistry has made a lot of leaps in prosthodontics, but crowns, bridges and caps are still susceptible to the same pitfalls that your natural teeth are. Prosthodontics are designed to replace your damaged teeth, not necessarily to be better at standing up to decay and other dental problems.

Take good care of your prosthodontics just as you would of your natural teeth, and you’ll see them last much longer.

Generation Gap

While it’s true that general dentistry has taken huge leaps toward improving general dental hygiene, the reasons people seek prosthodontics have also changed. While younger people are less likely to lose teeth to decay, they’re more likely to want crowns, bridges and caps for aesthetic reasons. Having a good smile is important to them and they’re willing to invest in procedures that can prevent their smile from collapsing in later years.

Conversely, people are living longer and longer – and no one keeps all of their teeth forever, no matter how often they floss. Older people often need complete dentures, and they’re no longer satisfied with the easily-lost, wobbly versions offered by general dentistry. They’re looking for permanent solutions such as implants so they can continue to eat carrots and chew on chicken legs on into their seventies and eighties.

Electing to Get Prosthodontics

Many prosthodontics procedures in previous generations were somewhat obligatory, which is to say they were necessary for the patient to continue in their daily routine. Now, many people are getting crowns, bridges, caps, and veneers for reasons unrelated to the health of their teeth. Prosthodontics is often an elective procedure, designed to get people a better smile and improved self-esteem.

This trend isn’t limited to the younger generation, either. Many older people lived through less enlightened times in general dentistry and have the have discolored, cracked, or badly positioned teeth to show for it. They are willing to invest in a better smile, both for the sake of their appearance and their comfort. Prosthodontics’ impact is likely to grow in years – both theirs and ours – to come.

Dental Implants

Dental implants are expensive, but they’re often the most comfortable of the tooth replacements options. Your prosthodontics specialist will anchor a titantium root to the jaw bone, to which a crown or cap is affixed. Dental implants feel natural and don’t require involving the surrounding teeth.

Bridges

A bridge is a replacement tooth anchored to the two teeth on either side of the gap. It is essentially three crowns strung together to create a ‘bridge’. The missing tooth is covered by the middle crown, and the two teeth on either side are covered by the crowns on either end. It is permanently bonded and looks very natural.

Caps and Crowns

Unlike bridges, caps and crowns cannot replace missing teeth, but they can provide a covering for damaged or broken teeth. A prosthetic tooth is made, usually out of ceramic, to cover the damaged tooth and provide a natural surface. This prosthodontics solution remedies aesthetic problems as well as fixing any problems with biting. Most dentists providing general dentistry can affix caps, bridges, and crowns.

Partial Dentures

Partial dentures are the only one of the prosthodontics options listed here that are removable. Because of this, they are also the least stable, the least comfortable, and the least helpful when it comes to chewing foods effectively. However, for many people dentures can contribute to remedying a complete smile, as well as prevent other teeth from moving.

What is prosthodontics?

Prosthodontics is pretty easy to break down into its roots (pardon our pun). “Prostho” refers to “prosthetic” and “dontics” refers to the teeth (from the same root as “dental”). So prosthodontics is the practice of prosthetic dentistry.

What does a prosthodontics specialist do?

A prosthodontist diagnoses and plans treatment for patients who need to restore the function and appearance of missing or damaged teeth. If you’ve recently been in accident that chipped or broke one or more of your teeth, you would see a prosthodonist. Other possible reasons for damaged teeth include age, disease, and decay. A good prosthodontics specialist will help you come up with the best way to restore the function of your teeth using crowns, caps, bridges, veneers, or several other possible methods of prosthetic teeth.

Why haven’t I heard the term before?

Prosthodontics is a growing specialty, and one of only nine specialties recognized by the American Dental Association and the Royal College of Dentists of Canada. In the U.S. there are only about 3,200 registered prosthodontists.

How is prosthodontics different from general dentistry?

Many prosthodontists are also general practitioners of dentistry, but few dentists are specialists in prosthodontics. General dentistry includes caring for the teeth including preventing and treating diseases, cavities, and abnormalities. Many general dentists can perform common surgeries such as placing an implant, but a prosthodontics specialist has a more in-depth knowledge of the best procedure for every situation. Often, a dentist who practices general dentistry will recommend a prosthodontist if he or she feels that a procedure needs a specialist.

If you’re in need of caps, bridges, crowns, veneers, or other forms of prosthetic dentistry, it’s highly recommended to see a prosthodontics specialist.

Crowns and Caps

When teeth are heavily decayed, repairing the damage with a simple filling is often not enough. A prosthodontics crown “caps” the tooth, placing a false tooth over the damaged one to restore the function and look of the original. Crowns are used in situations where part of the tooth is still available to bond to. If you’ve chipped a tooth, suffered damage from decay, or had a tooth weakened by a fracture or a large filling, your prosthodontics specialist may recommend a crown.

Bridges

Bridges are used in situations where a patient is missing a tooth entirely. This can happen because of extensive decay or in the case of an accident. The loss of a tooth will obviously not look attractive, but it will also have huge implications on the health of the rest of your teeth, since the surrounding teeth will lean to try to compensate for the gap. This situation requires a prosthodontics procedure that replaces the tooth. Since there is no remaining tooth to attach the prosthetic to as in the case of crowns and caps, a bridge connects the prosthetic to two crowns that are permanently bonded to the teeth on either side.

After your crowns, caps, or bridges are in place, you’ll need to discuss your general dentistry with your prosthodontics specialist. Some very basic tooth care will change slightly, since the new tooth will require extra attention. Bridges in particular can be difficult to floss properly. Don’t skimp on cleaning, though – the rest of your teeth should stay healthy for a long time!

Get a Recommendation

If you’re new to an area or have simply never needed a prosthodontics specialist before, one of the best ways to find a good one is to ask friends and family. While many people may not know the term ‘prosthodontics,’ they’ll be able to tell you if they’ve had crowns, bridges, caps, or other similar procedures. Ask them if they were happy with the end results and if their prosthodontics specialist was able to answer all their questions.

You can also ask whoever does your general dentistry. If your dentist doesn’t offer prosthodontics procedures, it’s almost certain he or she knows a good specialist. Even if you’ve recently moved, you should still ask your old dentist if they know anyone in your new area – many dentists keep in touch with their colleagues in other cities.

Check References

If you can’t find anyone in your social circle to recommend a good prosthodontics specialist, head to the internet. Narrow a general search like “Pennsylvania prosthodontics” by checking the quality of their website, their testimonials, and the information they offer their clients.

Using community boards such as Craigslist, you can ask others in the area if they’ve ever worked with the prosthodontics specialists you’ve narrowed it down to and what their experiences were. Take outside recommendations with a grain of salt, but if you get enthusiastic endorsements from everyone who responds, it’s a pretty safe bet that this is a good prosthodontist to work with.

Ask for a Consult

Most prosthodontics specialists will gladly schedule a consult visit to talk about what procedures you need done and how they can help you. Just as in general dentistry, one of the most important qualities in prosthodontics specialists is that you get along and trust them with your procedure. It’s perfectly all right to ‘try on’ a specialist before you decide.