Trends in prosthodontics.

Prosthodontics is concerned with the impact of tooth or tissue damage and partial or complete loss of teeth on oral function in its broadest sense. It deals with this largely through prosthetic replacement. The discipline occupies a major portion of a dental school curriculum, and dental practitioners usually devote much of their practice to prosthodontic services. With the rapid improvement in oral health and the reduction of edentulism in many countries, increasing numbers of people are retaining more teeth later in life.Gradually,the main focus in prosthodontics has shifted from removable dentures to fixed prostheses, while implant-supported restorations have attracted intense interest in the dental community. Another factor increasingly influencing prosthodontic practice is patients' awareness of newer technologies in aesthetic dentistry. Because prosthodontic interventions as well as maintenance and repair are by nature costly, the global development in the field manifests fundamental inequalities in the levels of service that patients can access. Diminishing resources for health care in general challenges educators and practitioners of prosthodontics alike. This review is an attempt to describe the recent developments in prosthodontics and its therapeutic areas, and the impact such developments may have on the theory and practice of the discipline. Copyright 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel.