Restoring function & esthetics in a chipping & worn smile.
Doug had TMJ and inner ear symptoms, and was aware that his teeth were beginning to chip and wear down, but he was unaware that these could be related. He also had no awareness of teeth clenching or grinding. To test this, he used a temporary nightguard which confirmed that tooth grinding was the missing link.
Dr. Therese recognized wear patterns in his teeth as well as tooth looseness related to his habit of tooth grinding. After years of dental care done in a "patchwork" or single-tooth approach, it was clear that in order for his teeth and dental work to last, he needed functional harmony between his teeth, smile, bite, and jaw joints.
After extensive planning starting with stabilizing his TMJs, we could begin repairing the damage to his teeth. Doug's bite was rebuilt to a new, stable position with a combination of custom porcelain restorations and hand placed composite filling material. He then had a custom designed nightguard made to relieve pressure on his TMJs and his teeth while he slept.
An added bonus to Doug was the significant cosmetic improvement to his smile. Because we planned this outcome with proper function of his teeth and jaw joints in mind, his handsome new smile was functionally balanced to protect his teeth from rapid breakdown in the future.