Prosthodontists are the Planners and Co-ordinators of Care
What many patients don’t realise is their prosthodontist does much more than provide treatment. Prosthodontists are diagnosis and treatment planning experts with restorative dental procedures being an extension of the plan. Complex cases require a co-ordinated and holistic approach that may involve several dental or medical specialists. The best person for the co-ordination of care is the prosthodontist.
The Big Picture
Prosthodontists see the big picture in each of their patients and begins treatment with a visual perspective of the end result. For a complex case, a prosthodontist will organise the necessary referrals, provide a diagnosis, and a coordinated care plan.
Diagnosis
Prosthodontists identify the structural, functional or cosmetic problems. This may be related to developmental facial structure, injury, or disease. An accurate diagnosis is essential to enable the appropriate corrective procedures. Once the diagnosis is complete, the treatment planning can begin.
Treatment Planning
In many ways a prosthodontist is the dental equivalent of a Medical General Practitioner (GP). A GP prepares management plans for patients with chronic medical conditions. The GP plan identifies the health and care needs, and the services a patient will require from the GP and other specialists. The document provides comprehensive and accurate information about a patient’s condition and informs healthcare providers of the treatment the patient is receiving.
A prosthodontist will prepare a plan if multiple procedures or specialists are involved in the treatment of a patient. Treatments usually need to take place in a set order, so a prosthodontist takes charge of a patient’s care to ensure they are seen by the right specialist at the right time.
A patient wanting implants will need to see an oral surgeon or periodontist to place the implants. A prosthodontist will provide the surgeon with the information they need to complete the surgery to suit the implants being used. Another patient may need to see an orthodontist to maintain the spaces in the gum while implants are being made. An orthodontist may provide treatment to maintain the space before the prosthodontist can finalise and fit the crowns.
Treatment
After a prosthodontist has prepared the treatment sequence, they will provide the patient with treatment when required. A patient may need some treatment by their prosthodontist before and after the other specialists.
Benefits of Planning and Care from a Prosthodontist
Many patients find medical or dental treatments daunting when it involves multiple steps and more than one specialist. Rarely has a patient been through the process before so they don’t know the order of the steps, which specialist to contact and what documents to take.
Having a prosthodontist do some of the legwork can be make a huge difference to a patient’s experience. It removes some of the burden if the patient doesn’t have to find a reputable specialist and decide the timing of the appointment.
A plan can also help family members or friends of patients. Instead of the patient passing on the information verbally, they can hand over a copy of the plan. A family member or friend then has the information they need to support the patient by driving them to appointments and caring for them after treatment, if required. At Western Prosthodontic Centre, we provide treatment plans for many of our patients to ensure they receive the best level of care with the minimum of stress. For more information about how we can help you, call us on (08) 9321 1632 or contact us online.