DENTURES a thing of the past?

[NYCPROS]

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I am currently applying to all the pros programs in NYC(NYU, Columbia). One of the clinical instructor in my school told me that dentures or implants may be on the way out because the stem cell therapy and the new medical advancements. By the time I finish residency, more changes may happen. She encourages me to go for OMFS since I may have a shot. However, I have no interest in OMFS.

My question is that I am willing to take lower salary as a prosthodontist. Anything over six figures is fine for me. However, I do not want to worry about job security. I wonder if any of you has any insight into this. What do you see the longavity of dentures and implants? (since it's the bread and butter of the pros) Thank you.

 

[NAVY DDS 2010]

I am currently applying to all the pros programs in NYC(NYU, Columbia). One of the clinical instructor in my school told me that dentures or implants may be on the way out because the stem cell therapy and the new medical advancements. By the time I finish residency, more changes may happen. She encourages me to go for OMFS since I may have a shot. However, I have no interest in OMFS.

My question is that I am willing to take lower salary as a prosthodontist. Anything over six figures is fine for me. However, I do not want to worry about job security. I wonder if any of you has any insight into this. What do you see the longavity of dentures and implants? (since it's the bread and butter of the pros) Thank you.

Dentures will always be needed. There is no way around it. It doesn't matter implants are available, you will never place implants for each tooth lost if they have no real teeth. You will make the patient a set of complete dentures and place implants to hold them in. Now RPDs, those could eventually become a very infrequent device used if the cost of implants were to decrease dramatically. Most people would prefer to not have to deal with dentures. So, having bridges placed on the implants may eventually be the standard practice for missing teeth.

I think endodontists are the ones that need to worry the most. With implants becoming a common treatment option, people may choose to have a tooth extracted and an implant placed versus having the RCT in hopes to get more time out of the tooth.

 

[NYCPROS]

Thank you, NAVY DDS.

I wonder what's your take on the advanced stem cell to regrow teeth and all that. Another thread has mouse grow teeth in them. I am all but certain to go into pros residency. However, I wonder how long would these technique become prevalent. Thank you.

 

[mike3kgt]

Thank you, NAVY DDS.

I wonder what's your take on the advanced stem cell to regrow teeth and all that. Another thread has mouse grow teeth in them. I am all but certain to go into pros residency. However, I wonder how long would these technique become prevalent. Thank you.

Stems cells to replace teeth are about as close to dental therapy in practice is as close as dental vaccines use. Dentistry has been touted as the profession who consistently tried to make itself obsolete.

Dentistry and prosthodontics has nothing to fear from the possibility of stem cell use, dental vaccines, or any new great idea of how to do or perform dentistry. As long as society remains stressful and our lives get more complex, people will always be bruxing and breaking teeth. Have no fear of dental needs!

What we have to worry about the most is the legislature and the "insurance" companies who wish to regulate our profession by implementing, accepting, and *paying out* to midlevel and less educated and trained individuals. This is where we should be putting our efforts. I love being an esthetic tooth mechanic, nothing more.

I love prosthodontics, I went back to school for pros after 2 years of practice... even after I made a pretty darn good living. It has not been easy, but it has been an excellent decision.

Good luck to you!

 

[denner]

Reading this kind of stuff calms my fears when I am worried about future challenges in dentistry.

I don't even know if I want to specialize, but if I do, it would probably be pros, I really like it.

 

[sugarsting]

Cost...even if new and better technologies are available, there are many who cannot afford it.

 

[gryffindor]

When I go to dental meetings, I see lots and lots of courses being offered about the use of mini-implants for better denture stability.

I have never seen a course offered about stem cell replacements for dental tissues. Maybe there is a course, but it is all theoretical at this point and there is no wide-spread clinical application for it. Our country can't even agree on how to use and pursue stem cell research for much larger medical problems. I would bet stem cell therapy in the oral cavity is very low on the biotechnology pursuit list.

If you love the field, go for it. You will make a good income doing restorative dentistry.

 

[OceanDMD]

I am currently applying to all the pros programs in NYC(NYU, Columbia). One of the clinical instructor in my school told me that dentures or implants may be on the way out because the stem cell therapy and the new medical advancements. By the time I finish residency, more changes may happen. She encourages me to go for OMFS since I may have a shot. However, I have no interest in OMFS.

My question is that I am willing to take lower salary as a prosthodontist. Anything over six figures is fine for me. However, I do not want to worry about job security. I wonder if any of you has any insight into this. What do you see the longavity of dentures and implants? (since it's the bread and butter of the pros) Thank you.

Just recommended two sets today. The issue is cost. If a patient cant afford a 25K - 40K rehabilitation of there chompers, they opt for the 3K set of dentures. If you are really worried, just set up shop in West Virginia or Kentucky (no offense to anyone, I lived in Kentucky for 6 years).

 

[armorshell]

I'd be wary of making life decisions based on off the cuff comments based competely on buzzwords (OMG STEM CELLS).

Even if stem cells do come about at some time in the near future (Near meaning 30-50 years), do you think the cost is going to be reasonable compared to a denture? Do you think that there will no longer be any indication for implants or removable prosth? I mean, now that implants are around, no one gets RPDs anymore, right?

What about complications? It took 20 years for most practitioners to consider implants a viable therapy after they were introduced into the dental market.

Who knows, maybe prosthodontics will be a huge part of stem cell implantation therapy? If 10% of implanted tooth buds come in with malformed crowns, improper occlusion, etc... then a prosthetic component may be necessary.

 

[206127]

If placing "real teeth" using stem cells became a reality I bet it would be a procedure reserved mostly for prosthodontist to do... I'm sure it wouldn't affect you, and the cost argument everyone is putting out there is another reason you shouldnt worry...

 

[armorshell]

If placing "real teeth" using stem cells became a reality I bet it would be a procedure reserved mostly for prosthodontist to do... I'm sure it wouldn't affect you, and the cost argument everyone is putting out there is another reason you shouldnt worry...

How would that be a procedure for prosthodontists?

 

[aphistis]

Just recommended two sets today. The issue is cost. If a patient cant afford a 25K - 40K rehabilitation of there chompers, they opt for the 3K set of dentures. If you are really worried, just set up shop in West Virginia or Kentucky (no offense to anyone, I lived in Kentucky for 6 years).

Three for me, and those cases alone put me above my production goal for the day. Everything else was gravy.

Happy patients, happy dentist, what else can you ask from a day at the office?

 

[LeoDDS]

I am currently applying to all the pros programs in NYC(NYU, Columbia). One of the clinical instructor in my school told me that dentures or implants may be on the way out because the stem cell therapy and the new medical advancements. By the time I finish residency, more changes may happen. She encourages me to go for OMFS since I may have a shot. However, I have no interest in OMFS.

My question is that I am willing to take lower salary as a prosthodontist. Anything over six figures is fine for me. However, I do not want to worry about job security. I wonder if any of you has any insight into this. What do you see the longavity of dentures and implants? (since it's the bread and butter of the pros) Thank you.

Stem cells will not grow in an environment that was too germy and gross to retain normal adult teeth. Most people in dentures are there for a reason--they are old (and not open to new ideas/technologies), have poor oral hygiene (again, don't expect a green plant to grow in the desert), have some type of underlying medical condition (not the ideal candidate for stem cell therapy), or just really don't give a damn about their mouth. Dentures will be around forever.

There was an article in the WallStree Journal a few weeks ago about scientists growing a molar in a rat. But again, it's very preliminary studies: the article failed to mention if the tooth was normal sized (too big or small?), strong enough (enamelentin😛ulp ratios?), or even oriented correctly.