Comprehensive Dental Care | Auburndale, FL

Comprehensive Dentistry

What is Comprehensive Dentistry?

Comprehensive dentistry means doing whatever you need to achieve your objective. Each patient is unique, and as such, each treatment plan is unique. It may be that you only need a cleaning and maintenance or one or two simple restorations. Or you may need a more complex restoration to replace missing teeth and restore proper function. You may have your heart set on cosmetic alterations of one or two teeth or an extensive cosmetic makeover. Whatever the need, we can provide a result that you can be proud of.

What is Comprehensive Dentistry?

What to expect from a Comprehensive Examination?

A comprehensive examination starts with an accurate diagnosis and an appropriate treatment plan. Dr. Pate will gather lots of information about your oral condition. He will ask for your input as to how you characterize your condition and your priorities. He will also ask your opinion on what you would like to change about your teeth and/or smile. When appropriate, radiographs and photographs from all angles are taken and analyzed. In some cases, models of your mouth are taken, and mock-ups of an ideal smile or restoration are created. A preventive maintenance plan will be implemented to establish and/or maintain your teeth and gums in a healthy state. When necessary, temporary restorations are placed and adjusted to the same form and function as the final restorations will be. You can then wear these temporary restorations and be certain that they look and feel the way you want them to look and feel. Adjustments are made if necessary, and when the temporaries meet the approval of you and Dr. Pate, impressions of the temporaries are made and sent to the dental laboratory to use as a guide in fabricating your final restorations. This way, you can see and feel the results before your bright new smile is permanently yours. After delivery, the preventive maintenance plan is continued indefinitely to help keep your new smile healthy and comfortable for years to come.

With the above approach, dramatic changes are made at the first restorative visit. A patient can walk out after one visit with an incredible cosmetic restoration that is then converted to final restorations a few weeks later. With few exceptions, the general rule is from old, uncomfortable teeth to healthy and attractive restorations in one striking visit, no matter how bad it is in the beginning. Then, it can be maintained for a lifetime of happy smiles.

Bite Alignment

The teeth act like sensors to tell the brain how much power the muscles need. When the back teeth touch, the brain says, “let’s eat” so it powers up the muscles for chewing food. When the back teeth separate and only front teeth are touching the brain says, “let’s relax to give the muscles a break and protect the front teeth”.

The back teeth should only touch in the center when the forces are directed down the long axis of the tooth. When the back teeth separate during movements it causes muscle to relax which prevents strong grinding lateral forces which prevents muscle tension, wear and the fracture of teeth.

When the jaw moves in any direction away from the central chewing point, the front teeth direct the pattern of the movement to cause the back teeth to separate. This protects the back teeth from breaking and wear.

If separation of back teeth in lateral movement does not happen the way it should, as the jaw moves the back teeth rub and this causes wear. Back teeth are not capable of handling grinding forces and will either wear or break. This increased muscle tension causes TMJ stresses that can lead to TMJ dysfunction, headaches, muscle soreness, migration of teeth (spaces developing) in some patients. We want to be sure this is not you!