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URL of this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002286.htm
Prosthesis
A prosthesis is a device designed to replace a missing part of the body or to make a part of the body work better. Diseased or missing eyes, arms, hands, legs, or joints are commonly replaced by prosthetic devices.
False teeth are known as dental prostheses. An artificial replacement of the jaw bone is called a maxillofacial prosthesis.
Updated by: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Clinical Professor Emeritus, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.