If a dentist has told you that you need “restorative work” and you are not quite sure what that involves, you are in the right place. Prosthodontics is the dental specialty devoted to repairing damaged teeth and replacing missing ones, using crowns, bridges, veneers, dental implants, and dentures. The goal of every restoration is to bring back how your teeth work, how they feel when you bite down, and how they look when you smile. At Renovo Prosthodontics in Salt Lake City, UT, this is the core of what we do. Dr. Kellen McWhorter plans each restoration around your whole bite, so a new crown or a full arch of implant-supported teeth fits the way you chew and speak as well as the space it fills.
So what does care with a prosthodontist actually look like? It starts with a careful evaluation of your teeth, gums, jaw joints, and bite, along with imaging where it is needed. From there, the prosthodontist designs a plan that may involve one restoration or several working together. That planning step matters more than most people expect. A crown that looks perfect but meets the opposing tooth a little too early can crack, loosen, or leave your jaw sore by the end of the day. Prosthodontists spend three to four additional years in specialty training after dental school, and much of that time goes toward solving exactly this kind of problem, so restorations hold up under real chewing forces for years.
Many of the people who visit our office have put off dental work for a long time. Some worry about cost. Others had a crown or bridge fail before and do not want to repeat the experience. Waiting usually narrows the options, though. When a tooth is lost, the neighboring teeth tend to drift and the jawbone in that spot gradually shrinks, which can make an implant harder to place later. Dr. McWhorter served as chief resident during his prosthodontic training, and he walks each patient through the reasoning behind every option before a decision is made. Treatment plans here are built together with you, around your goals and budget. For longer or more involved procedures, sedation options are available to help you stay comfortable. Once your restorations are finished, our hygiene appointments for existing patients let the same team that rebuilt your smile help you care for it.
This Article Will Address
- What a prosthodontist’s work covers, from a single crown to a full-mouth rebuild
- How missing teeth can be replaced, whether you have lost one tooth or a full arch
- How restorations can change the look of your smile
- What restored teeth can do for chewing and everyday comfort
- Whether you need a complicated case to see a specialist
- How to keep crowns, bridges, and implants in good shape for years
What Is Included in Prosthodontic Dentistry?
Prosthodontic dentistry includes any treatment that repairs damaged teeth or replaces missing ones with custom-made restorations, along with the diagnosis and planning that tie those restorations together. Our full range of restorative, cosmetic, and implant services falls into a handful of groups:
- Crowns that cover and strengthen cracked, worn, or heavily filled teeth
- Bridges and dental implants that replace one tooth or several in a row
- Full-arch options such as All-on-X implants, Teeth in a Day, hybrid dentures, and overdentures for patients missing most or all of their teeth
- Veneers, composite bonding, teeth whitening, and smile makeovers that focus on appearance
- Full-mouth rehabilitation, which combines several of these to rebuild the bite across both upper and lower teeth
Most patients need only one or two of these. Having all of them under one roof still matters, because a specialist can compare every option side by side instead of recommending the one procedure an office happens to provide.
Can a Prosthodontist Replace Missing Teeth?
Yes. Replacing missing teeth is one of the main reasons the specialty exists. The best option depends mostly on how many teeth are gone and how much healthy bone remains underneath. Here is how those choices usually line up:
- One missing tooth: an implant topped with a crown, or a bridge anchored to the teeth on either side
- Several missing teeth in a row: an implant-supported bridge, which spares the healthy neighboring teeth from being reshaped
- Most or all teeth in an arch: a fixed set of teeth on four or more implants, or an overdenture that snaps onto implants for stability
- A loose traditional denture: in many cases, conversion to a hybrid denture or implant overdenture
Dental implants typically need several months to bond with the jawbone before the final teeth are attached. Some full-arch cases qualify for a fixed temporary set on the same day the implants are placed. Bone volume, gum health, and medical history all affect which route makes sense, which is why the recommendation comes after a full evaluation rather than before it.
Can Prosthodontics Improve How My Teeth Look?
Yes. Every restoration a prosthodontist places is shaped and shaded to blend with your natural teeth, and some treatments, like veneers and a smile makeover, are chosen mainly for appearance. The design goes beyond picking a whiter shade. A prosthodontist looks at how much tooth shows when your lips are relaxed, how the edges of your upper teeth follow the curve of your lower lip, and whether your gumline is even from side to side.
This is also where a specialist’s view of the whole mouth pays off. If your front teeth are short and chipped because of a bite problem or nighttime grinding, covering them with veneers alone often leads to chipped porcelain within a few years. Correcting the cause first gives cosmetic work a much better chance of lasting.
Can Prosthodontic Care Help with Chewing Problems?
Often, yes. When chewing hurts, feels uneven, or makes you avoid certain foods, the cause is usually missing teeth, a worn or broken-down bite, or a denture that no longer fits well. A prosthodontist treats each of those directly.
Missing back teeth are a common culprit. When molars are gone, the front teeth end up doing work they were never shaped for, and many people start cutting food into tiny pieces or skipping raw vegetables, nuts, and tougher cuts of meat without quite realizing it. Traditional dentures help, but they rest on the gums and can slip, so biting into an apple may still be out of reach. Teeth anchored to implants are held firmly in place, which lets most patients chew with much more confidence. When teeth have worn down evenly across the whole mouth, a full-mouth rehabilitation can rebuild their height and restore a comfortable, balanced bite.
Is Prosthodontic Treatment Only for Complex Cases?
No. Prosthodontists do handle full-mouth reconstructions and full-arch implant cases, but they also place single crowns, replace one missing tooth, and repair a chipped front tooth.
People choose a specialist for smaller cases for a few practical reasons. A front tooth restoration has to match its neighbors closely, and small differences in shade or shape are easy to notice. A crown that has already failed once may need a different design the second time. Some patients simply want their first restoration planned with the rest of their mouth in mind, so a single crown today does not limit their choices ten years from now. Our advanced prosthodontics options cover the complex end of the range, but no case is too small for a consultation.
How Do You Keep Dental Restorations Lasting for Years?
Restorations last longest with daily cleaning, regular professional care, and protection from grinding. A few habits make the biggest difference:
- Brush twice a day and clean under bridges and around implants with floss threaders, a water flosser, or small interdental brushes
- Keep up with professional cleanings, since gum inflammation around an implant can lead to bone loss if it goes unchecked
- Wear a night guard if you clench or grind your teeth
- Call as soon as something feels loose, high, or rough, before a small issue turns into a fracture
Our practice offers hygiene appointments and minor dental work to existing patients, so the team checking your restorations at each visit is the same team that designed them.
Schedule Your Prosthodontic Consultation with Dr. McWhorter Today
Whether you are dealing with one failing crown or wondering if implants could replace a loose denture, a consultation is the clearest way to find out what is possible for your teeth. Renovo Prosthodontics is welcoming new patients at our office at 440 West 200 South, Suite 275, in Salt Lake City, UT. Call 801-321-7600 or schedule a visit with our team, and we will find a time that works for you.
Sources
Dr. Kellen McWhorter, DMD, is the prosthodontist leading Renovo Prosthodontics in Salt Lake City, UT. He earned his dental degree from the University of Louisville and completed his prosthodontics training at the University of Texas Health Science Center, where he served as chief resident. He focuses on restoring both function and confidence for patients facing complex dental challenges. Outside the office, he’s a husband, father, and outdoor enthusiast.