Prosthetist-orthotists design and custom fit prostheses and orthoses for individuals who are missing a limb from accident, disease or congenital conditions or for individuals who have impairments, deficiences or weaknesses due to injury, pathology or congenital malformation. They mix patient care with the design and fabrication of these devices to address their patients' needs.

Tasks

Tasks include -
(a) Examining, interviewing, and measuring patients in order to determine their appliance needs, and to identify factors that could affect appliance fit;
(b) Conferring with medical and dental practitioners in order to formulate specifications and prescriptions for devices and appliances;
(c) Interpreting prescriptions or specifications to determine the type of product or device to be fabricated, and the materials and tools that will be required;
(d) Making or receiving casts or impressions of patients' torsos, limbs, mouths or teeth for use as fabrication patterns;
(e) Designing and making orthotic and prosthetic devices using materials such as thermoplastic and thermosetting materials, metal alloys and leather, and hand and power tools;
(f) Fitting appliances and devices onto patients, testing and evaluating them, and making adjustments for proper fit, function and comfort;
(g) Repairing, modifying and maintaining medical and dental prosthetic and supportive devices, according to specifications;
(h) Bending, forming, and shaping fabric or material so that it conforms to prescribed contours needed to fabricate structural components;
(i) Fabricating full and partial dentures and constructing mouth guards, crowns, metal clasps, inlays, bridgework and other aids;
(j) Instructing patients in the use and care of prosthetic or orthotic devices.