National Prosthodontics Awareness Week Is April 6-12, 2014

National Prosthodontics Awareness Week Is April 6-12, 2014

American College of Prosthodontists: Missing teeth need to be

treated as a chronic medical condition like diabetes, high

cholesterol or heart disease

CHICAGO, April 2, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — National Prosthodontics

Awareness Week (NPAW) is April 6-12, 2014. With 178 million people in

the U.S. missing at least one tooth and 33 million Americans having no

natural teeth, NPAW aims to increase awareness about the importance of

proper oral health and prosthodontic solutions to missing teeth.

“As a board certified prosthodontist, people ask me if they have to

replace a missing tooth in the back of the mouth since no one can see

it. My answer is yes,” said NPAW Chair Avinash S. Bidra, B.D.S., M.S.,

F.A.C.P., of the University of Connecticut School of Dentistry.

“When you lose even a single tooth, it will result in bone loss, change

the bite, cause food impaction and result in adjacent teeth moving

towards the missing space. The longer one waits to get it replaced, the

more challenging the clinical situation is, yet if you fix it fast the

cycle stops.”

Prosthodontics is one of only nine recognized dental specialties by the

American Dental Association (ADA), and prosthodontists are dental

specialists with three years of advanced residency training beyond

dental school in replacement of missing teeth and oral health issues.

The American College of Prosthodontists (ACP) is the ADA recognized

association that represents and advocates on behalf of prosthodontists.

To celebrate NPAW, the ACP is providing free access to two Journal of

Prosthodontics studies on innovative science and treatment for missing

teeth. The first, a recent Mayo Clinic long-term (29 years)

retrospective study, reveals that care for missing teeth needs to be

treated as a “chronic condition” much like high blood pressure, high

cholesterol, heart disease or diabetes.

“The chronic condition of missing teeth affects one’s quality of life

from eating nutritious foods to enjoying social activities. People

think that once we place a dental implant and crown no follow up care

is needed, yet it is. In fact, research finds that implant therapy to

replace the missing teeth requires lifelong follow up with your

prosthodontist or dentist to minimize the risks of complications such

as chipping or loss of implants due to infections” said Matilda Dhima,

D.M.D., who is primary author of the study and assistant professor at

the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine.

That’s why patients with dental implants are encouraged to make regular

visits to their prosthodontists or dentists to minimize the risks of

complications (chipping or loss of implants due to infections) and to

ensure long-term survival of their complex dental restorations and

implants.

The second study presents data on the popular All-on-Four(TM) Protocol

as a viable alternative to more extensive treatment plans for missing

teeth.

“In this protocol, a set of fixed upper and/or lower replacement teeth

can be anchored to the bone in one office visit,” said Dr. Bidra.

The American College of Prosthodontists is making these articles

available free to consumers during NPAW. To learn more about

personalized options for replacing missing teeth, consumers are

encouraged to find and consult their local prosthodontist

(GoToAPro.org).

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