A denturist is a dentist who creates and repairs mouth prosthetics. He creates and maintains artificial teeth. He could work in a dental office or for a laboratory that serves a large number of dentists.
Artificial teeth are usually required when people lose their teeth due to illness, gum disease, or accidents. They may only require a partial tooth replacement on the top of one or more teeth. A cap or crown is the common name for this prosthetic device. In these cases, the denturist creates an artificial tooth that fits snugly over the natural tooth.
If several teeth in a row need to be replaced or have caps placed, the technician creates a bridge of teeth to give the appearance of healthy, natural teeth. When the bridge is properly placed in the patient’s mouth, it is held in place tiny wires that are invisible. To get the perfect fit, he might have to adjust the bridge a few times.
Many patients require dentures, which are a full set of false teeth. Only the top or bottom set of teeth may need to be replaced on occasion. In either case, the dentist takes a plastic or wax impression of the patient’s mouth and, if possible, the patient’s original teeth. The dentist gives the denturist these impressions, as well as detailed instructions on the desired gum and tooth colors. The denturist creates artificial teeth based on these instructions.
A denturist uses plastic or porcelain to make his prosthetics, depending on the dentist’s and patient’s preferences as well as the availability of materials. Small devices, such as caps or crowns, may be made of gold or other metals in some cases. If he wants to make false teeth or bridges that match the patient’s natural teeth, he consults a color-matching chart with hundreds of options.
A denturist uses a variety of tools and equipment to create his prosthetics. He usually solidifies the plastic or porcelain in a high-temperature furnace to create the original pieces. He then uses lathes, electric drills, and presses to shape the pieces. Hand tools for shaping and carving are traditionally used to add the finishing touches to the pieces.
A high school diploma is required for admission to a dental laboratory technician training program for aspiring denturists. This program is typically two years long and includes both classroom and laboratory instruction. Most regions and vicinities require board certification before a denturist can be hired as an entry-level dental laboratory technician after completing the training.