Complex Dentistry
Patient Psychology and Successful Dental Treatment
After searching the Internet, Bob found Dr. Muslin’s website featuring before and after photos of many patients with complex dental problems treated successfully. Bob had lost faith in dentistry after 50 years of failed dental treatments. He decided to come in and see if this dentist was “for real”. Bob knew that his health and appearance were suffering due to bad breath, a gum infection, and a collapsed bite. The first step would be to rebuild Bob’s confidence in order to proceed with a dental transformation.
Treatment Choices
Most patients come to the office with a budget in mind and an idea of how they would like to look after treatment is completed. Bob’s apprehension and lack of trust had to be taken into consideration when choosing his treatment. All options were discussed and the most successful treatment for Bob would be the simple “transition treatment method”. This method transitions the patient so they get healthy and looking good quickly with complex options able to be added in the future.
Phase One, Two and Three – Kill the Infection
All of Bob’s teeth and gums were infected and his bite was totally collapsed. There are many areas of care that can be instituted simultaneously in order to get the treatment moving quickly. Hopeless teeth were extracted and bone grafts were utilized, infected teeth were received root canal treatment , bad crowns were replaced, infected gums were treated non-surgically and teeth with huge cavities were crowned. To complete this phase, all missing teeth were replaced with removable teeth. In the future Bob can have implants that will stay in his mouth permanently. Making removable teeth first, allows the patient to have a full set of teeth immediately while implants are added and have time to heal underneath the removable teeth.
Over Dentures
Bob’s missing upper teeth were replaced with an over denture that fits over his remaining teeth. This results in a solid base for stability and greater chewing power. His proprioception is increased which gives the over denture the feeling of being an extension of his natural teeth. The retention of his over denture is so strong that Bob says it “feels just like having my own teeth”. Additionally, keeping the remaining teeth under the over denture will help maintain Bob’s upper jawbone and keep it from dissolving. Over dentures are an ideal solution to replacing missing teeth and keeping the remaining good teeth. Dental implants can also be added to help support an over denture.
Partial Dentures
Partial dentures are an important step in the transition to a full set of teeth utilizing dental implants. Bob’s remaining teeth were crowned and splinted together for additional strength and stability that will most likely last the rest of his life. The partial denture is attached to the remaining teeth. Partial dentures are usually unpopular because of their metal clasps, but Bob’s attaches with clasps that are not visible. This allows him to look completely natural while wearing his partial denture. Bob’s lower teeth are comfortable, have a rock solid fit, and have great chewing power. He was able to make the transition from few teeth to a full set utilizing an over denture and partial denture that are precision designed to last.
Dental Implants
Bob’s now has a full set of teeth that have given him new life. He looks great but most importantly he is completely disease and infection free. Bob has achieved maximum dental health that will benefit him the rest of his life. Dental implants can now be phased in while he wears his removable teeth. The dental implants can be added to give even more stability to his current over denture and lower partial denture or can eventually replace those appliances giving Bob a solid set of teeth that stay in his mouth all of the time. Bob has many choices to fit his budget and the level of stability he would like to achieve. In this case Bob is completely satisfied with the level of retention and fit and sees no need for dental implants.
Phase Four – Helping the Patient Adjust
When a patient has lost a lot of teeth, the tongue gets larger. When the teeth are replaced the mouth can feel crowed and it can be hard for the patient to adjust. To make this adjustment period easier, the dental work must be flawless. If the dental care is less than optimal the transition can be impossible. Bob was seen weekly for 3-4 weeks for slight adjustments, tips on his eating habits, and techniques for hygiene and talking. The best dental care helps the patient feel completely confident and comfortable after the work is completed.
Speaking, Eating and Laughing
Great dental care helps the patient transition into a full life with the ability to speak clearly, eat comfortably and laugh naturally with their new teeth. Too many patients are receiving porcelain veneers and crowns that look too white and bulky and inhibit their ability to speak clearly. The key to great dental care is to enhance mother natures best and add to the overall appearance of the patient. It should look natural and allow the patient the greatest level of comfort and speaking ability.
Call For Your Appointment
For those interested in the highest level of dental care possible, please call for your appointment. All of the photos on this website are untouched and unaltered. All of the patients have signed model release forms allowing Dr. Muslin to publish his work and he sincerely thanks these patients for their consideration.