Neuromuscular Dentures: Combining Science and Art

Article submitted by Dr. Slota. He can be reached at 303 623-4444.

Aesthetically pleasing, well-functioning dentures can have a positive effect on your self-esteem and your quality of life. Providing dentures superior in appearance, fit and function is an area of expertise for many Neuromuscular Dentists. Neuromuscular principles were developed over forty years ago and are a time-proven method of dentistry where the dentist considers teeth, muscles and joints in addition to traditional dental diagnosis.

The Science
Traditionally, the question of where to establish the bite on a patient who has no other teeth to use as a reference point has largely been an arbitrary decision by the dentist. While the patient may get by with this position, it often leads to functional problems in chewing or speech and in discomfort or an unnatural look.

"To determine an optimum jaw position, a precise measurement of the activity of the muscles controlling the jaw is taken," according to Dr. Bernard D. Slota. "The bite is built to this position - one dictated by your own body when the muscles are truly relaxed."

Any abnormalities in your jaw function will be corrected. Technol-ogy is also used in taking the impressions for making the denture, leading to a base that is held in place by the soft tissues of the cheeks, preventing looseness of the denture.

The Art
The aesthetic part of finalizing your denture design is where the art comes into play. Neuromuscular dentists have extensively studied the art of producing dentures with a natural, pleasing look. Even the smallest details are studied - size of various teeth, angle at which they are set, ratios of height to width, shade and color. As a result, all of these components come together to produce a natural looking smile. As an added bonus, re-establishing the correct jaw position and spacing often eliminates some facial lines and the older look typical of traditional denture patients.

There is no need for today's denture patients to suffer discomfort or embarrassment over poorly fitting dentures. Skilled dentists, modern evaluation instrumentation and a wide variety of new materials have combined to create dentures that are truly superior - and patients with beautiful smiles!