Who is a Prosthodontist in Torrevieja, Spain? Not Just a "Dental Technician"
In the public consciousness, a prosthodontist is the doctor who "puts on crowns." The professional reality of 2026 is far more complex and profound. A prosthodontist is a specialist in masticatory system rehabilitation, a biomechanical engineer, and a smile designer all in one. Within the Spanish healthcare system, the prosthodontist holds the position of clinical coordinator: it is they who determine whether a destroyed tooth can be saved, which prosthesis will replace a lost tooth, and how the restoration will function for 15–20 years without complications. Unlike a general dentist, who works with tooth tissues (caries, pulpitis), the prosthodontist works with the form and function of the dental arch as a single biomechanical system. The distinction from an oral surgeon is fundamental: the surgeon removes teeth or places implants; the prosthodontist decides where and at what angle that implant must be placed for the prosthesis to function correctly. Since 2024, Catalonia and the Valencian Community have mandated a protocol of joint planning (surgeon + prosthodontist) prior to any intervention. No implant surgery begins without a prosthodontic surgical guide.
Who Needs a Prosthodontist? Patient Profile
Orthopedic pathology has no age limit. Yes, the peak in consultations occurs between 45 and 65 years of age, when the compensatory capabilities of enamel and dentin are exhausted and old fillings and crowns have reached the end of their service life. However, in the practice of Ap-denta in Torrevieja, we increasingly see patients aged 28–35 with early loss of masticatory teeth due to aggressive forms of caries, bruxism, or previous unsuccessful endodontic treatment. A separate category comprises patients over 55 who have relocated to the coast. Typically, they already have prosthetic restorations placed 10–15 years ago in Northern European countries or the UK. The materials of these constructions (cobalt-chromium, acrylic veneers, low-quality ceramics) conflict with the acidic Mediterranean environment. This leads to chronic gingivitis, mobility of abutment teeth, and chipping of the veneer. Here, the need for a prosthodontist is not aesthetic but rehabilitative. According to statistics from the Official College of Dentists of Alicante (2025), 41% of initial prosthodontic consultations for patients over 50 result in the complete replacement of old prostheses for medical reasons.
Reasons for Consultation and Symptoms: When a Prosthodontist is Necessary
A patient comes to a prosthodontist not with a diagnosis, but with consequences. The most frequent reasons for visits in 2026 are: destruction of the coronal part of the tooth by more than 50% with a vital root; fracture of the tooth wall under an old filling; missing tooth/teeth (one or several); mobility of a fixed bridge; unsatisfactory smile aesthetics that a general dentist cannot correct with fillings. Symptoms that should not be ignored: a sharp edge of a tooth traumatizing the tongue or cheek; discoloration of a tooth under a crown (a sign of microleakage); bleeding gums around an artificial restoration; the sensation that a tooth has "grown" or become mobile. It is important to understand: a prosthodontist does not treat caries or perform root canals. But it is the prosthodontist who makes the decision — to save the tooth or extract it in favor of an implant. This is a last-resort decision, and in Spain, it is legally assigned to the prosthodontist.
Diagnosis in Prosthodontics: From Plaster to Micron Precision
The diagnostic protocol of a Spanish prosthodontist in 2026 rests on three pillars. First — visual examination and palpation. Assessment of gingival biotype, smile line, and degree of enamel wear. Second — radiographic diagnosis. Orthopantomography (OPG) provides an overview, but for implant planning or complex restorations, Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) with three-dimensional reconstruction of the jaw is required. The resolution of current tomographs in Spanish clinics allows visualization of bone structures with a slice thickness of 0.125 mm. Third — digital charting. Intraoral scanners (Medit, 3Shape, Primescan) have completely replaced conventional impression materials in Torrevieja. Scanning takes 2–3 minutes, eliminates the gag reflex, and provides a virtual model with an accuracy of 7–10 microns. This data is transmitted to the dental technician via secure cloud platforms. A fourth, optional stage — functional diagnostics. When bruxism or temporomandibular joint dysfunction is suspected, the prosthodontist prescribes electromyography or axiography. Without this, prosthetic treatment in patients with parafunctions is doomed to early chipping and debonding.
Severity Degrees: How a Prosthodontist Classifies Tooth Loss
The Spanish prosthodontic school adopts the Kennedy classification of dental arch defects (2022 adaptation). Class I — bilateral free-end edentulous areas (missing teeth on both sides posteriorly). Class II — unilateral free-end edentulous area. Class III — unilateral tooth-bounded edentulous area (teeth present both mesial and distal). Class IV — a single, bilateral tooth-bounded edentulous area crossing the midline. The choice of restoration — removable partial denture, fixed bridge, implant, or a combination — directly depends on the class. Severity is assessed not only by the number of missing teeth but also by the condition of the supporting apparatus. If an abutment tooth has mobility grade II–III, it cannot serve as a bridge abutment — splinting or transitioning to implant placement is necessary. The interarch distance is also evaluated — if reduced to less than 4 mm, restoration with inlays, onlays, or crowns is impossible without surgical height increase.
Treatment: What the Prosthodontist Does vs. Other Specialists
Here, the distinction is critical. The prosthodontist personally performs: preparation (tooth reduction) of hard dental tissues for crowns or inlays/onlays; impression taking (scanning); try-in of frameworks and finished restorations; cementation of prostheses with permanent cement; adjustment of removable dentures intraorally; relining. The prosthodontist does not perform: tooth extractions, incision and drainage of abscesses, caries treatment, endodontics (root canal treatment), surgical implant placement. However, the prosthodontist plans the implant position long before the surgery. Using CBCT and virtual modeling, they fabricate a surgical guide — a template that directs the surgeon to place the implant precisely in the pre-planned position. This is called prosthetically-driven implantology, and it has been mandatory in Spain since 2023. The prosthodontist also provides author follow-up: after the final cementation, the patient remains under the dispensary care of their prosthodontist, who monitors hygiene and the prosthesis condition at 3, 6, and 12 months.
Prevention in Prosthodontics: Extending Restoration Longevity
The Spanish protocol for preventing prosthodontic complications is structured on three levels. Primary prevention: sound planning with the selection of biocompatible materials at the diagnostic stage. The prosthodontist is obliged to warn the patient: zirconium dioxide does not oxidize; metal-ceramics always oxidize; the difference is only a matter of time. Secondary prevention: hygiene instruction. Patients with crowns must use an oral irrigator and superfloss. For removable dentures, daily soaks with antiseptic cleansing tablets (Corega, Protefix) are mandatory. Tertiary prevention: regular relining. A removable partial denture, as bone resorption occurs, loses its fit against the mucosa. The Spanish protocol prescribes relining every 6 months during the first two years, then once a year. Failure to do so results in the denture rocking, traumatizing the mucosa, and accelerating jaw atrophy. The average service life of a removable partial denture with proper preventive care is 7–10 years; without it — 3–4 years.
Localization: The Spanish Specificity of Prosthodontic Practice
The work of a prosthodontist in Torrevieja has objective differences from practice in Moscow, London, or Berlin. Climatic factor. High humidity, average annual temperature of +19°C, and active sunshine 320 days a year — ideal conditions for the proliferation of Capnocytophaga and anaerobic flora. In patients permanently residing on the coast, the pH of oral fluid is shifted towards acidic (6.3–6.5 compared to the neutral 7.0 in continental Europe). This is a direct indication against the use of metals, favoring zirconia and high-strength ceramics. Demographic factor. Torrevieja is one of the largest hubs for immigration from Northern Europe to the South. The prosthodontists at Ap-denta daily encounter polymorbidity: osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and anticoagulant therapy in elderly patients. These conditions prolong implant osseointegration times and require more conservative tooth preparation protocols. Legal factor. Spain requires the prosthodontist to obtain mandatory informed consent, translated into the patient's native language. In Torrevieja, this includes English, German, French, Dutch, and Scandinavian languages.
