Prosthodontics in Seattle, WA
Restore your smile with lasting, natural-looking solutions at Dental Specialties Northwest. Schedule your consultation today and take the first step toward renewed confidence.
Tooth loss and damaged teeth can impact your ability to eat, speak, and smile with confidence and even affect your long-term oral health. Missing teeth can lead to bone loss, shifting of adjacent teeth, bite problems, and changes in facial structure over time. Whether you’re dealing with a single damaged tooth or need comprehensive reconstruction, prosthodontic treatment offers solutions that restore both function and aesthetics.
At Dental Specialties Northwest, our Seattle prosthodontics team provides comprehensive treatments designed to fully restore both the function and aesthetics of your smile. Dr. Thomas Sweeney and Dr. Rhys Spoor offer precise implant placement, transformative All-On-4 dental implants, and customized solutions like full-mouth reconstruction at our Columbia Tower practice, combining cutting-edge technology with personalized care to help you reclaim a healthier, more beautiful smile.
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What Is Prosthodontics?
Prosthodontics focuses on restoring and replacing missing or damaged teeth with customized solutions such as dental crowns, bridges, dentures, and implant-supported restorations. This specialty ensures your teeth and gum line work in harmony for a natural, functional smile.
Prosthodontists receive three additional years of specialized training beyond dental school, focusing on complex restorative procedures, dental implants, and full-mouth rehabilitation. This advanced training allows Seattle prosthodontists to design and execute comprehensive treatment plans that address multiple dental issues simultaneously while ensuring optimal aesthetic and functional outcomes.
Our seamless integration of periodontal care, including treatments like gum grafting and root planing, supports long-lasting results by improving gum health and preventing complications during implant placement.
Chew, speak, and smile freely. Your path to a stronger, more beautiful smile begins with expert prosthodontic care today.
The Prosthodontic Treatment Process
Comprehensive Evaluation
Our team conducts a thorough assessment, including medical history review, oral examination, and advanced imaging, to evaluate your oral health and discuss your goals. We use 3D cone beam CT scans, digital impressions, and intraoral photography to create a complete picture of your oral health and treatment needs.
Treatment Planning and Design
We develop a personalized treatment plan based on our findings, creating visual aids like wax-ups or digital simulations to help you understand the proposed outcomes. Digital smile design software allows you to preview your results before treatment begins, ensuring your expectations align with the planned outcomes.
Preparatory Treatments
If necessary, we perform preliminary procedures such as periodontal treatments, extractions, or orthodontic adjustments to create an optimal foundation for your restoration. These preparatory steps ensure that when your final restorations are placed, they have the healthiest possible foundation for long-term success.
Prosthodontic Procedures
We carry out the planned treatments, which may include implant placement, tooth preparation, impressions, and fabrication of custom prostheses tailored to your needs. All restorations are crafted using high-quality materials and designed to match the color, shape, and size of your natural teeth for seamless integration.
Fitting and Refinement
We carefully fit and adjust your prostheses, ensuring proper function, aesthetics, and comfort before final placement. This trial phase allows us to make any necessary modifications to achieve optimal bite alignment, appearance, and patient satisfaction.
Final Delivery and Education
We permanently place your prostheses, make final adjustments, and provide detailed instructions on care and maintenance to ensure long-term success. You’ll receive personalized guidance on cleaning techniques, dietary considerations, and maintenance schedules specific to your restoration type.
Follow-up and Maintenance
We schedule regular check-ups to monitor your oral health and the performance of your prostheses, addressing any concerns promptly. Most patients require check-ups every 3-6 months to ensure restorations remain in optimal condition and identify any issues early.
Chew, speak, and smile freely. Your path to a stronger, more beautiful smile begins with expert prosthodontic care today.
Our Prosthodontic Services in Seattle
Full Mouth Reconstruction
Restore the full function and beauty of your smile with a personalized, comprehensive treatment plan addressing all dental concerns. Full mouth reconstruction can combine implants, crowns, bridges, veneers, and periodontal treatments to completely transform your oral health and appearance.
All-On-4 Dental Implants
Replace a full arch of teeth with only four strategically placed implants for a secure and natural-feeling solution. This innovative technique allows many patients to receive a full set of permanent teeth in a single day, eliminating the need for removable dentures.
Gum Grafting
Treat receding gums and protect your teeth with gum grafting procedures that restore a healthy gum line. Healthy gums provide essential support for restorations and create the proper framework for natural-looking aesthetic results.
Implant Placement
Achieve a secure, long-lasting smile with precise implant placement, performed in collaboration with our periodontal team. Dental implants have a success rate exceeding 95% and can last a lifetime with proper care, making them the gold standard for tooth replacement.
Crowns
A crown covers the entire surface of a damaged tooth to provide support and restore function. Modern crowns use materials like porcelain, zirconia, or porcelain-fused-to-metal to provide strength and natural aesthetics that blend seamlessly with surrounding teeth.
Bridges
A bridge often replaces a series of missing teeth. A row of artificial teeth is attached to the natural teeth on either side of the missing space. Crowns are placed on the adjacent teeth to provide support to the bridge. Fixed bridges provide a permanent solution that doesn’t require removal for cleaning and offers superior stability compared to removable partial dentures.
Inlays and Onlays
When a crack or cavity is too large for a filling, an inlay or onlay might be used to repair the damage. These prosthetics are custom designed to fit into the crack like puzzle pieces. Inlays fit within the cusps of a tooth, while onlays extend over one or more cusps, providing a conservative alternative to full crowns.
TMJ disorder treatments
Prosthodontists in Seattle can create a stabilization splint to control the jaw, prevent grinding, and hold the jaw in a healthy position. These custom oral appliances help reduce jaw pain, protect teeth from wear, and improve jaw function for patients with temporomandibular joint disorders.
Why Choose Prosthodontic Care at Dental Specialties Northwest?
Comprehensive Specialty Care
We provide complete dental restoration by combining prosthodontic care with advanced periodontal treatments, ensuring optimal outcomes for each patient. Our integrated approach means you receive all necessary care at our Seattle location, eliminating the need for referrals to multiple practices.
Long-Lasting, Natural Results
Our restorations are designed for durability and crafted to blend seamlessly with your natural teeth, supported by a healthy gum line and jawbone. We use premium materials and precise techniques to create restorations that not only look natural but also function optimally for decades.
Experienced Team in Dental Restoration
Led by Dr. Thomas Sweeney and Dr. Rhys Spoor, along with our team of experienced professionals, including board-certified periodontists, we offer personalized solutions with precision and care. Our Columbia Tower practice combines world-class prosthodontic care with spa-caliber amenities, ensuring exceptional results and patient comfort.
Chew, speak, and smile freely. Your path to a stronger, more beautiful smile begins with expert prosthodontic care today.
Meet Dr. Thomas Sweeney and Our Expert Team
At Dental Specialties Northwest, your smile is in the hands of trusted experts. Dr. Thomas Sweeney, a leader in prosthodontics and implantology, combines advanced training with decades of experience to deliver exceptional results. His expertise in complex restorations, including All-On-4 dental implants, full-mouth reconstruction, and custom dentures, ensures every patient receives care tailored to their unique needs.
Working alongside Dr. Sweeney is a team of skilled specialists, including board-certified periodontists and restorative dentists, who collaborate to provide seamless, comprehensive care. From treating periodontal disease to performing precise implant placement, our team is dedicated to restoring both the function and beauty of your smile.
Benefits of Seeing a Prosthodontist
Foundation and Structure
Dental implants and prosthodontic treatments maintain jawbone density and prevent bone loss through natural implant stimulation. When teeth are missing, the jawbone begins to deteriorate; implants provide stimulation that preserves bone structure and maintains facial contours.
Functional Improvements
Restore your ability to chew, speak, and smile with ease. Our treatments improve bite alignment, support proper digestion, and restore natural speech patterns, giving you full confidence in your daily life. Many patients report being able to eat foods they’ve avoided for years and speaking more clearly after prosthodontic treatment.
Preventive Aspects
Prosthodontic solutions help prevent the shifting of remaining teeth and reduce the risk of tooth decay and gum disease. Filling gaps promptly prevents adjacent teeth from drifting out of position, which can lead to bite problems and increased difficulty maintaining oral hygiene.
Health Benefits
Enhanced chewing capability supports proper nutrition, while restorations can also help manage sleep disorders and snoring. Maintaining a healthy mouth contributes to your overall well-being. Research shows connections between oral health and systemic conditions like heart disease and diabetes, making comprehensive dental restoration an investment in total body health.
Quality of Life
Enjoy renewed self-confidence in social interactions, improved comfort in daily activities, and a better quality of life with a fully functional and aesthetically pleasing smile. Patients often report improved professional opportunities, enhanced social engagement, and greater overall life satisfaction after completing prosthodontic treatment.
Long-Term Advantages
Our solutions provide durable, long-lasting results that support facial aesthetics, prevent sagging, and contribute to ongoing oral health for years to come. Properly designed restorations can last 15-20 years or more, making them a sound long-term investment in your oral health and appearance.
Chew, speak, and smile freely. Your path to a stronger, more beautiful smile begins with expert prosthodontic care today.
Are You a Candidate for Prosthodontic Treatment?
Prosthodontic and periodontal treatments are ideal for individuals who want to restore both function and aesthetics to their smile. You may be a great candidate if you meet the following criteria:
Health and Oral Requirements
Ideal candidates should be in good overall health, practice excellent oral hygiene, and be free of active gum disease. A fully developed jawbone and healthy gum tissue are essential for successful implant placement and other restorative treatments. Certain medical conditions like uncontrolled diabetes or active cancer treatment may require management before proceeding with prosthodontic procedures.
Dental Concerns and Conditions
Prosthodontic care is perfect for individuals with missing teeth, severely damaged or decayed teeth, or TMJ/jaw joint problems. Patients with traumatic injuries, congenital dental anomalies, or functional issues like difficulty chewing and speaking can also benefit. Even patients who have been told they’re “not candidates” for implants due to bone loss may benefit from bone grafting combined with prosthodontic treatment.
Commitment to Long-Term Care
Successful outcomes require a commitment to maintaining high-level oral hygiene, attending regular dental visits, and following post-treatment care. This includes daily cleaning, avoiding harmful habits like smoking, and attending scheduled maintenance appointments to ensure your restorations last as long as possible.
Not sure if you’re a candidate? Our Seattle prosthodontics team can assess your specific needs and design a personalized treatment plan to restore your smile and oral health.
Not sure if you’re a candidate? Our team can assess your specific needs and design a personalized treatment plan to restore your smile and oral health. Schedule your consultation today to get started.
What Our Customers Say
Frequently Asked Questions
We recommend scheduling a consultation with our Seattle prosthodontist if you:
- Have multiple missing teeth
- Need several crowns or bridges
- Want to improve your smile's appearance
- Experience jaw joint (TMJ) problems
- Require reconstruction after oral cancer
- Have complex dental issues requiring coordinated treatment
During your consultation, we can show you before-and-after photos of previous patients. We may also use digital smile design software to provide you with a preview of your expected results. This technology creates a virtual simulation of your planned treatment outcome, helping you visualize and approve your new smile before we begin.
With proper care, many of our treatments, such as dental implants, can last for decades. Other prosthetics like dentures may need periodic adjustments or replacements. We'll provide you with specific care instructions to maximize the longevity of your treatment. Crowns typically last 10-15 years, bridges 5-15 years, and implants can last a lifetime with proper maintenance.
Your comfort is our priority. We use advanced techniques and offer sedation options to ensure your treatment is as pain-free as possible. Most of our patients report minimal discomfort during implant procedures and other treatments. Local anesthesia prevents pain during procedures, and post-operative discomfort is typically manageable with over-the-counter pain relievers for most patients.
Treatment duration varies based on your specific needs. Some treatments, like single crowns, may be completed in 2-3 visits. More complex procedures, such as full mouth rehabilitation, can take several months. We'll provide you with a personalized treatment timeline during your consultation. Implant-based treatments typically require 3-6 months for implant integration before final restoration placement.
Transform Your Smile with Seattle Prosthodontics
At Dental Specialties Northwest, we’re committed to providing exceptional prosthodontic care that restores your smile’s function, health, and beauty. Our Columbia Tower practice serves Seattle and the surrounding areas with comprehensive prosthodontic services in a state-of-the-art environment where your comfort, satisfaction, and long-term results are our highest priorities.
If you’re ready to restore your smile or want to explore prosthodontic treatment options, contact our Seattle team to schedule a consultation. We’ll thoroughly evaluate your needs, discuss all available solutions, and develop a personalized treatment plan tailored to your goals and lifestyle. Learn more about our cosmetic dentistry and restorative dentistry services that complement our prosthodontic care.
Chew, speak, and smile freely. Your path to a stronger, more beautiful smile begins with expert prosthodontic care today.
Visit Our Office
We’re conveniently located in downtown Seattle, WA, at 701 5th Ave, Suite 4660, in the Columbia Center. Enjoy stunning views, ample parking, and easy access to public transportation options for a seamless visit.
- 701 5th Ave, Suite 4660, Seattle, WA 98104
- 206-682-8200
- frontdesk@dentalspecialtiesnorthwest.com
