Ramtin Sadid, DDS, MS, head of the UAB Department of Prosthetics, introduces the RAYface scanner at the UAB Prosthetics Clinic, which uses six high-resolution cameras to capture 3D images of a patient’s face. Photo by Mary SimsAbout 120 million Americans are missing a tooth and more than 36 million have no teeth, according to American College of Prosthetists — numbers expected to increase over the next two decades as the population ages. Tooth loss can deplete a patient’s self-confidence, but it also has biological effects such as bone loss, displacement of remaining teeth, change in bite and possible temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, and significant dietary changes that can lead to possible obesity , diabetes and gastric disorders.
Restoring teeth is the specialty of prosthodontists, dentists who complete three additional years of training to become specialists in this field. This training includes extensive experience in cosmetic dentistry and oral rehabilitation using a patient-centered treatment approach, says Ramtin Sadid, DDS, MS, practicing prosthodontist and head of the UAB Department of Prosthodontics.
Sadid is an expert in digital dentistry — a subfield that first developed in the early 1970s but didn’t really start gaining momentum until the middle of the last decade, he says. New technologies are improving the treatments prosthetists can offer patients, Sadid explains. Here are some of the most promising, each being used or tested at the newly renovated UAB Prosthetic Clinic.
Digital dentures: “Digital technology allows prosthodontists to design and manufacture dentures faster and at a higher quality,” Sadid said. “Studies have shown that you get a better fit than with traditional dentures when proper digital workflows are used.” The UAB Prosthetic Clinic uses a variety of techniques to make temporary and final prostheses, including 3D printing and milling machines, Sadid says.
Implant design: “Detailed imaging of the patient’s mouth allows the correct placement of implants, especially for complex cases and especially for full mouth restoration, and the design of implants with a prosthetic base is the key to the success of the treatment outcome,” said Sadid .
Diagnosis: “New generations of dentists are more willing to work on laptops than in the wax lab,” Sadid said. “Instead of making a conventional wax impression of teeth and working from that for diagnosis, dentists can use digital images to perform diagnostic procedures on a screen.”
Cone beam CT for coronal lengthening: “Digital technology has helped integrate cone beam computed tomography, or CBCT,” Sadid said. CBCT has several uses, he noted. One is to design virtual guides to help lengthen the crown, “which is the surgical removal of bone to improve aesthetics.”
Face Scans: The RAYface scanner at the UAB Prosthetic Clinic uses six high-resolution cameras to capture 3D images of the patient’s face. The scanner is used for face-oriented treatment planning to ensure that the new teeth not only fit well with the gums but also with the person’s entire appearance, especially when smiling. “RAYface is also used to make maxillofacial prostheses — a subspecialty of prosthetics — for patients who have lost part of their face to cancer,” Sadid said.
Jaw tracking: One of the latest technologies, which is still under research at the School of Dentistry and other top institutions, is the jaw monitor or mandibular electronic scan. “Basically, they provide information about the temporomandibular joint range of motion, which can be useful diagnostic information for oral rehabilitation,” Sadid said. This information may help dentists choose the most appropriate treatment to correct TMJ pain and other problems.”
