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Prosthodontics

Losing a tooth, cracking a crown, or living with a bite that no longer feels right can shake your confidence fast. Dr. Sandhya Hegde, D.D.S., B.D.S., leads a specialist team at Center for Dental Health La Jolla, built to fix exactly that: restoring damaged, worn, or missing teeth through crowns, bridges, dentures, and full-mouth reconstructions. Merriam-Webster defines prosthodontics as the dental specialty focused on restoring or replacing missing, deficient, or damaged teeth and related oral tissue, typically through prosthetic devices and surgical reconstruction.

The specialty has deep roots: 18th-century dentist Pierre Fauchard experimented with carved ivory and bone to replace lost teeth long before modern materials existed, and the field became formally recognized with the American Board of Prosthodontics in 1947. In practice, this means prosthodontics covers everything from a single crown on a cracked molar to a full-arch rebuild after years of untreated decay or bone loss. Whatever your case looks like, this page walks through what to expect.

Meet the Team

Dr. Sandhya Hegde’s clinical focus centers on the connection between oral health and your overall well-being, and that shows in how thoroughly she works through every case. Supporting her is a specialist team that includes Dr. Gary Sigafoos, a periodontist with a D.D.S. and M.S. in Periodontics from Temple University who has practiced since 1979; Dr. Haris Lakisic, an endodontist who graduated magna cum laude from Pepperdine University and holds an M.S. in Endodontics from the University of Pennsylvania; Dr. Thomas Brislin, an oral surgeon who graduated from Temple University School of Dentistry in 2011; and Dr. Abraham Tang, an orthodontist rounding out the full-spectrum care available here.

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Restorative Solutions We Provide

Full Mouth Reconstructions

A full mouth reconstruction combines multiple restorative procedures across the upper and lower teeth at once, typically for patients dealing with widespread decay, long-term wear, or several missing teeth that can’t be treated one at a time.

Dr. Hegde builds each plan around your specific bite and bone structure, often layering crowns, bridges, and implant support depending on what each arch needs. For patients who’ve put off treatment for years, this is usually the path that addresses everything in one coordinated plan instead of piecemeal fixes.

Full and Partial Dentures

Full dentures replace every tooth in an arch when no viable natural teeth remain, while partial dentures fill in gaps where several teeth are missing but healthy teeth still anchor the surrounding structure.

Both can be built as traditional removable devices or secured to dental implants for a more stable, natural-feeling fit. Dr. Hegde walks you through which option makes sense based on your remaining teeth, jawbone density, and daily comfort needs.

Conditions, Symptoms, and Pain

Prosthodontic care addresses dental problems that compromise the structure or function of your teeth and jaw beyond what routine care can fix, including tooth loss from decay, fracture, or trauma, enamel worn down by grinding, and bite misalignment built up over years of compensation. Left untreated, the bone beneath a missing tooth resorbs, neighboring teeth drift into the gap, and the remaining teeth take on more chewing force than they were built for.

One Missing Tooth Disrupts Your Entire Bite

A gap from a missing tooth can let neighboring teeth drift, the opposing tooth over-erupt, and your jaw joint take on altered loading that leads to TMJ discomfort.

Delaying Treatment Can Limit Your Options Later

See a dentist any time you notice structural changes to your teeth, unexplained bite discomfort, or a missing tooth you haven’t replaced.

“depending on their location, some missing teeth may affect your speech,”

JADA, Missing a Tooth?

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Prevention and Hygiene Education

Preventing the damage that leads to prosthodontic treatment takes more than brushing and flossing, though those habits, along with ongoing periodontal care that catches problems early, remain the foundation. Grinding your teeth at night without a protective guard puts repetitive stress on enamel that eventually fractures or wears through, and ignoring a cavity lets decay progress deeper, raising the odds a filling gets replaced by a crown.

Many Patients Try Fixes at Home Before Calling a Dentist

When a crown loosens or a denture stops fitting well, many people reach for an over-the-counter fix before calling their dentist: temporary cement to reseat a crown, extra denture adhesive to compensate for a poor fit, or filling material pressed into a chip.

Delaying Treatment Can Cost You More Than Money

Relying on at-home fixes instead of professional care tends to make problems worse and more expensive to correct. An unrepaired cracked tooth can fracture below the gum line until extraction becomes the only option.

“the jaw ridge can lose roughly 5 to 7 millimeters of width within just three months”

National Library of Medicine, Survival Rates and Factors Affecting the Outcome Following Immediate and Delayed Implant Placement: A Retrospective Study

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Cost and Insurance

Prosthodontic treatment costs vary widely depending on the type and extent of care you need, and a range of payment options exist across most budgets. Knowing general price ranges ahead of your visit makes for a more useful conversation about your specific plan.

Industry Average Pricing

An analysis of ADA Dental Fee Survey and FAIR Health data shows national averages ranging from roughly $500 to $2,000 for a single crown up to $12,577 to $33,272 for full-mouth reconstruction, with pricing driven mainly by materials and complexity. These figures are general industry reference points, not a quote for your treatment. Contact our team directly for exact pricing before you commit to a plan.

Skipping Coverage Verification Can Cost You Later

Industry research identifies Delta Dental, MetLife, Cigna, Aetna, and UnitedHealthcare as the major carriers in the U.S. dental insurance market, but carrying one of these plans does not guarantee your treatment costs are fully covered. Assuming your insurance handles the bill without checking first can leave you facing costs you did not plan for. Verifying your specific coverage with our team before scheduling helps you avoid that surprise.

“4.4% had unmet dental needs due to cost in the past 12 months.”

National Center for Health Statistics, CDC

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How We Approach Prosthodontic Treatment

Comprehensive Exam and Digital Diagnostics

Your visit starts with Dr. Hegde examining your teeth, gums, and bite, then using digital imaging to see exactly what’s happening beneath the surface. This lets her catch bone loss, hidden fractures, or shifting roots that a visual exam alone would miss. You’ll leave this visit with a clear picture of what’s actually causing your discomfort.

Personalized Restoration Planning

Once your case is clear, your dentist maps out a plan built around your specific teeth and goals. This includes which restoration fits best (a single crown, a fixed bridge, a partial or full denture, or an implant-supported option) along with material choices and a realistic timeline. You’ll review this plan together before anything moves forward.

Same-Day or Lab-Crafted Restoration

Some crowns can be designed and milled chairside using CEREC technology, so you leave with a finished restoration in a single visit. More complex cases, like bridges or dentures, are custom-fabricated by a dental lab for the best long-term fit and appearance. Dr. Hegde tells you upfront which route applies to your treatment.

Placement and Bite Adjustment

Once your restoration is ready, Dr. Hegde checks the fit, shade, and bite alignment before final placement. Small adjustments at this stage make a real difference in day-to-day comfort. A properly fitted restoration typically starts feeling like a natural part of your mouth within days.

Long-Term Monitoring and Maintenance

A follow-up visit confirms your bite feels right and that the restoration is holding its fit and color over time. Routine checkups after that catch wear, loosening, or decay at the margins before they turn into bigger problems. This ongoing attention keeps a crown, bridge, or denture performing well for years.

Let’s Talk About Your Treatment Options

Every case that comes through our doors is different, whether it’s a single cracked molar or a full-arch rebuild, and Dr. Sandhya Hegde treats each one on its own terms rather than a one-size-fits-all plan. Call Center for Dental Health La Jolla at 858.546.0100 to set up a consultation, or catch behind-the-scenes updates and patient results on Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter). The sooner you come in, the more options you’ll have on the table.

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FAQs

What is prosthodontics?

Prosthodontics is the dental specialty focused on restoring or replacing teeth and related oral tissue that decay, trauma, or wear have damaged beyond what routine care can fix. It covers treatments like crowns, bridges, dentures, and full mouth reconstructions. Patients typically see a prosthodontist-trained dentist when a single filling or cleaning won’t resolve the underlying problem.

How much does prosthodontics cost?

Costs depend heavily on the treatment and materials involved, ranging from a few hundred dollars for a single crown to well over $10,000 for a full mouth reconstruction. Bridges and dentures typically fall somewhere in between, based on how many teeth are involved. Your dentist can give you an exact estimate once your treatment plan is set.

Is prosthodontics covered by insurance?

Coverage varies by plan, but many dental insurance policies cover a portion of major restorative work like crowns, bridges, and dentures, often after a waiting period. Purely cosmetic procedures typically see less coverage than treatments addressing function or health. Checking your specific plan details before treatment helps you understand your out-of-pocket costs.

What is considered prosthodontics?

Prosthodontics includes crowns, bridges, full and partial dentures, implant-supported restorations, and full mouth reconstructions. It generally applies whenever a tooth’s structure or your bite has been compromised enough that restoration, rather than repair, is the appropriate treatment. It’s distinct from purely cosmetic procedures that don’t address function or structural damage.

Can a dentist do orthodontics and prosthodontics together?

Yes, orthodontics and prosthodontics often work together, especially in cases involving both misalignment and missing or damaged teeth. A coordinated treatment plan might straighten remaining teeth before placing a bridge or implant, so the final restoration fits a properly aligned bite. Practices with both specialists on staff, like this one, can plan these overlapping treatments in a single coordinated timeline.

Dentist in La Jolla San Diego

Dentist in La Jolla San Diego

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