Dr. Stuart Rimes, D.D.S. is a prosthodontist in Sugar Land, Texas. A graduate of Texas A&M University and the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, Rimes has been recognized for his excellence in service, and is currently a member of the American Dental Association, the American College of Prosthodontists, the Texas Dental Association, and the Greater Houston Dental Society. In this article, he explains what a prosthodontist is.
A prosthodontist is a specialist recognized by the American Dental Association as well as the other eight specialties of dentistry as having completed extensive training on the treatment of complex dental issues. It is common, for instance, that a prosthodontist will treat patients with various issues such as TMJ or TMD, traumatic injury, implants, aesthetics, and complete or partial dentures. To become a prosthodontist, a person must complete an additional three years of rigorous training after dental school during which time he learn how to handle even the most complex dentistry cases.
Although most prosthodontists get their patients primarily through referrals — once the general dentist can no longer handle the problem — I personally get a mix of patients who have been referred by their general dentist and those who have found me on their own.
Because there is not just one singular way that prosthodontists get their patients, I tend to see patients with a variety of issues. Here at my practice, I have some general dentists who commonly refer patients to me, and then I also have some patients who just come straight to my practice on their own.
The most common reason that a patient would contact a prosthodontist without having been referred is because he wants to come to a specialist. They oftentimes are people who just feel more comfortable in the hands of someone who is an expert in the field. It is also common that patients who have been treated by a prosthodontist in the past — possibly when they were living somewhere else or suffering from another treatment that has since been cured — seek a prosthodontist to handle their basic dental needs in the future, as well. When someone is really impressed with the care they received at a prosthodontist’s office, he oftentimes prefers to simply see a prosthodontist from there on out.
The simple truth of the matter is that prosthodontists really are the experts when it comes to the restoration and replacement of teeth, and that is why so many people feel like they get a higher standard of care from a more highly qualified individual when they visit a prosthodontist as opposed to a general dentist. Many people just want to keep the higher standard of treatment that they feel that they receive at a prosthodontist, so that is why they come directly to a practice like mine when they’re concerned that something might be wrong, rather than going to a general dentist first and waiting for a referral.
The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.
