What is a Prosthodontist?

A prosthodontist is a dental specialist who completes 3 additional years of training beyond dental school, focused on advanced restoration and replacement of teeth — including dental implants, crowns, bridges, and full-mouth rehabilitation.

Do you accept dental insurance?

We accept all dental insurance plans that allow out-of-network providers. Many PPO plans offer out-of-network benefits that can be used at our Greensboro office. We also offer CareCredit, Sunbit, and in-house membership plans.

How can I make dental implants more affordable?

We offer flexible financing options including CareCredit and Sunbit, which allow you to pay for dental implants and other treatments over time with low monthly payments. In-house membership plans are also available.

What can I expect during my first appointment?

Your first appointment includes a thorough examination, 3D scans, and any necessary X-rays. We review findings together and create a fully customized treatment plan. Most first visits take about one hour.

Why choose a prosthodontist for dental implants?

Prosthodontists are the specialists most trained in dental implants and complex restorations. Dr. Christian Brenes has over 9 years of university faculty experience and serves as Program Director of a Digital Dentistry Master's Program — bringing specialist-level expertise to every case.

Prosthodontist vs General Dentist: What's the Difference and When Do You Need a Specialist?

Lake Jeanette Family & Implant Dentistry
Jul 22
4 min read

Most patients in Greensboro, NC never think about the difference between a prosthodontist and a general dentist until a case gets complicated. Then the question lands fast: prosthodontist vs dentist, which one do you actually need? Both are fully trained dentists. A prosthodontist has simply completed an additional three years of full-time residency training focused on restoring and replacing teeth, everything from a single crown to a full-arch reconstruction. That extra training matters most when a mouth has several problems stacked on top of each other, not when you need a routine filling or a cleaning.

Prosthodontist vs General Dentist: What's the Difference and When Do You Need a Specialist? — Lake Jeanette Dentistry Greensboro NC

The Three Extra Years, and What They're Actually Spent On

A general dentist completes four years of dental school and is licensed to treat nearly everything that walks through the door: fillings, cleanings, root canals, extractions, crowns, and increasingly, dental implants. A prosthodontist completes that same four years and then spends three more years in a hospital-based or university residency, working almost exclusively on complex restorative cases under faculty supervision. The training is narrower on purpose. Where a general dentist's continuing education might touch dozens of topics, a prosthodontics residency spends thousands of hours specifically on occlusion, full-mouth rehabilitation, and implant-supported prosthetics. I spent nine years afterward teaching that same curriculum at the university level, and the gap I see most often between a well-trained GP and a prosthodontist isn't skill. It's repetition on the hardest ten percent of cases.

What Falls Squarely in a General Dentist's Wheelhouse

If you need a cleaning, a filling, a single crown, a root canal, or even a straightforward implant to replace one missing tooth, a general dentist is the right call and usually the faster one. General dentists across the Triad see these cases daily and handle them well. The distinction isn't about who is more careful or more qualified in a general sense. It's about scope. A GP's training covers the full breadth of dentistry; a prosthodontist's training goes deep into one slice of it. For the majority of visits most patients will ever need, that breadth is exactly what's called for.

When a Case Moves Into Prosthodontic Territory

The referral pattern I see most often in my Greensboro practice isn't a patient with one missing tooth. It's someone who has had three or four individual crowns placed by different dentists over fifteen years, each one addressing a symptom instead of the bite as a whole system. By the time that patient sits in my chair, the individual restorations may be technically sound, but they don't work together, and the bite has drifted enough to cause chipping, sensitivity, or jaw fatigue. Other common referral triggers include full-arch implant cases like All-on-4, dentures that no longer fit well after years of bone loss, and an implant or bridge that has failed more than once. If you're in that kind of situation, here's what I'd tell you: get the whole mouth planned as one system rather than tooth by tooth, because that's what actually changes the outcome.

Two Patients, Two Different Paths

Picture two patients who both come in describing a similar problem: a back tooth that needs to be replaced. The first has healthy gums, good bone, and no other dental history to speak of. A general dentist places the implant and crown, and within four to six months, it's functioning like any other tooth. The second patient has already lost two other teeth, wears a partial denture that shifts when she eats, and shows noticeable wear on her remaining teeth from years of an uneven bite. Replacing just the one tooth without addressing the bigger picture would likely fail within a few years. That second case is where a prosthodontist earns the referral, not because the first dentist did anything wrong, but because the problem itself is bigger than a single tooth.

How Referrals Actually Work Between Greensboro Dentists

Most of the patients I see arrive with a referral already in hand from a general dentist in Greensboro, High Point, or Summerfield, often after a routine exam turned up something more complex than expected. The relationship is collaborative, not competitive. A patient can keep seeing their regular dentist for six-month cleanings and preventive care at /teeth-cleaning-greensboro-nc while I handle the restorative or implant phase of treatment, and we coordinate directly so nothing falls through the cracks. Patients driving in from Winston-Salem or Burlington are usually surprised by how short the trip actually is, twenty-five to forty minutes depending on traffic on I-40. You can read more about what a prosthodontist's training covers at /prosthodontist-greensboro-nc, or learn more about our approach at /meet-dr-brenes.

Frequently Asked Questions About Prosthodontist vs General Dentist Care

Can my general dentist refer me to a prosthodontist, or do I need to find one myself? Either path works. Most referrals come directly from a general dentist who has identified a case that needs specialist-level planning, but you're also welcome to request a consultation on your own, especially if you've had repeated problems with a restoration or you're weighing options like All-on-4.

Does seeing a prosthodontist cost more than seeing a general dentist? Complex cases often involve more planning and more restorative work, which does affect the total cost, but the honest answer is that it depends entirely on what your mouth needs. We offer flexible financing through CareCredit and Sunbit, and we'll walk through the full cost picture before any treatment begins so there are no surprises.

Will I still see my regular dentist for cleanings if I'm treated by a prosthodontist? In most cases, yes. Prosthodontic treatment is usually one phase of your overall care, not a replacement for your general dentist. We coordinate with your GP so your cleanings and checkups continue on schedule while we handle the restorative work.

Ready to talk to a specialist? Dr. Brenes and the team at Lake Jeanette Dentistry are accepting new patients in Greensboro, NC. Call (336) 545-4281 or visit ljfamilydentist.com to book your consultation.