Dentists throughout the United States selected, in their opinion, the Best Dentists in America.

Best Dentist Recognition: 2005 – 2006 – 2007

Dr. Muslin has won the distinction of being one of the few doctors, nationwide, to be awarded the professional recognition of being one of the Best Dentists in America.

Award and Selection Process

Each dentist polled could list the best dentists and the lists were tabulated with the final list presented for a second time. The dentists then had to pick the best dentists from the final list.

The names of the Best Dentists in America are published in the book which serves as a valuable reference for locating the finest dentists available today in your area.

Sam Muslin, DDS, MAGD is honored to be selected for three years in a row, including the current 2007 year. “To be selected as one of the best dentists in America by my peers validates 27 years of care for my patients.” Just knowing that the other dentists see your work as among the best is gratifying beyond words.

Dentistry is changing so fast with the technology, that to keep on top requires many hours of continuing education for you and your entire staff every single year. Upgrading constantly with new bonding
techniques, lasers, veneers, implants, cosmetic dentistry, teeth whitening and especially sedation dentistry requires dedication and consistency every year of your career. The techniques are so advanced that even root canals seem painless and easy.

I am blessed that I have been so healthy and that I have so many more years remaining to contribute to the quality of life of my patients.

Of course, having one of the finest facilities in the country also helps. It is a pleasure to work with the best equipment and one of the best designed dental care facilities anywhere. The design of the
facility is critical to the safety of the patient and the quality of the dental care for the patient.

Nobody designs medical or dental facilities better the Rx for Design, Inc. My wife is a pediatric intensive care nurse, spent four years at UCLA studying Design and is a real estate broker. The combination gives her skills that few possess. These skills help her develop incredibly
functional and safe medical and dental delivery systems.

My staff is professionally trained and I am proud of them too. The desire to create dental care that is second to none. We compete against ourselves to beat the quality of our last case. We love to do it well
for our patients.

Thank you for all of the dentists throughout the country that have seen my work and view me as one of the Best Dentists in America.

LAs Best Dentist Award 2010

Facelift Dentistry ^®

Training & Credentials: The Dental Facelift^®

Reconstructive facelift dentistry has been practiced by Dr. Sam Muslin for over 25 years in the California area. This degree of dentistry includes established competencies in all phases of reconstructive, rehabilitative and cosmetic (aesthetic) treatments and procedures.

Our office has gained a reputation for having custom designed operatories with equipment and technologies that are some of the most unique in the entire country.

Prestigious FAGD Award

Dr. Muslin earned the distinction of becoming a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry (FAGD) early in his professional career, during the 1980′s.

Prestigious MAGD Award

In 1996, Dr. Muslin was awarded the Master of the Academy of General Dentistry Award. One of dentistry’s most recognized awards, the MAGD distinction has been earned by only 1,000 of the 150,000 practicing dentists in the USA. Recipients of this award are believed to be in the top 1% of practicing dentists, nationwide.

Professional Activities and Affiliations:

• Academy of Implant Dentistry Member
• Graduate of the Scripps Dental Implant Institute
• Diplomat of the American Board of Forensic Medicine
• American Dental Association Member
• California Dental Association Member
• Western Dental Society Member
• Academy of Computerized Dentistry Member
• Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry Member
• Staff Dentist: St. John’s Hospital

Professional Awards:

• Graduate of Case Western Reserve University
  (Awarded for most professional growth and development)
• Awarded by the International College of Dentists

Advanced Dental Implants

The Dental Facelift ^®

Dental Implants – The Gold Standard of Tooth Replacement Dentistry

Our patient had a substantial history of failed treatments including unsuccessful endodontics (root canals) and bouts of various stages of gum disease and periodontists.

Over several years the patient experienced severe tooth wear, resulting in a deep overbite and severe distortions in the upper and low jaw occlusal relationships. His TMJ sockets also displayed poor positioning during normal jaw movements and when the jaws were in the resting position.

Once the occlusal plane begins to deteriorate… a cyclical effect begins which accelerates the wear, tear and break down of important tooth structures. As incisal edges and biting surfaces chip and crack, the occlusal forces become more distorted, causing more damage.

Due to periodontal issues and the need for sinus lifts in areas of the upper jaw (caused partly by failed endodontic treatment), the patient wanted to follow a slow and very methodical plan of treatments to assure no additional failures would occur.

After completing a full set of articulation studies including a tomography analysis (assessing movements of the jawbones through different occlusal planes), the patient and Dr. Muslin set up a treatment plan that would take almost 3 years to complete.

Sinus lift surgeries and other dental implant site preparations were performed and given ample time for complete healing and osseointegration (implant devices are fully integrated into natural jawbone). No products were used to accelerate treatment success, assuring the best results possible through a holistic approach to treatment.

The patient’s entire bite was completely reconstructed and the line of occlusion on each arch was developed to be even and ideal (normalized occlusion) for this patient. The over-bite was corrected to an ideal bite, corresponding to the patients facial features and certain skeletal features (upper and lower jaw positioning).

Dr. Muslin used a variety of dental procedures and premium grade reconstructive dentistry products including different sizes of implant devices, porcelain crowns and feldspathic veneers. Each product was used to provide the best treatment choice, depending upon the location of each treated tooth structure. This “one tooth at a time” process assures the best endurance possible, not only for the treated tooth… but for maintaining a perfect bite.

The cosmetic and functional differences that were achieved with the “patient directed” treatment plan were quite astounding, as can be seen in the two (2) closeup photos above.

Looking closely at the extreme changes in biting surfaces.. and their alignment… along with significant new tooth height across both upper and lower (maxillary and mandibular) jaw bones it is evident that physical relationships were substantially altered.

Interestingly, when the treatment was completed, the patient remarked:

“The greatest difference for me is the bite. I realize that I look better but the comfort of having a good bite is a big benefit. My friends notice the improvement in my face but could not tell that my teeth were the difference. My teeth look so natural that even I am impressed.”

In most reconstructive makeover cases…. patients typically remain focused on a particular cosmetic outcome while Dr. Muslin and his Dental Lab Ceramist maintain a critical eye on the physical properties of crowns, veneers, etc., to assure proper dental function accompanies the aesthetic goals.

In this case… the patient (for good reasons noted above) was focused mainly on his bite and normalized bite and occusal function. Nonetheless.. the careful, perhaps tedious, approach of treating each affected tooth individually produced a true makeover result.

Watch and listen to our patient discuss his treatment in 2 short video clips. He describes the feelings of having full mouth rehab and discovers the ability to regrow gum tissue with his new teeth.

Have questions about how complex reconstructive or restorative dentistry can create facial characteristics that have been lost due to maturing dentition? Call us at (310) 829-6796 to arrange a consult or use our online Consultation form.

Baby Boomer Facelift Dentistry ^®

Facelift Dentistry ^®

Bruxism and Developmental Milestones

Our patient presented in our office with a host of dental issues that represented unusual and extreme, in some cases, wear and tear problems that actually began during his pre-adult years and adversely affected normal development of certain tooth structures.

The patient became a bruxer (night time teeth grinding) early in life… like many young adults do. Left untreated, the immense physical forces that are exerted interfere significantly with the normal eruption of vital tooth structures, in turn impacting on growing jaw structures and tmjoint functioning.

Tooth rotations, angular positioning, tmj pain and shifting teeth can be a common problem later in life. For a man in his early fifties, he had significant wear that exceeded what is normally expected for his age bracket.

As can be seen in the first pre-treatment photo, the patient had a severe diastema, accompanied by a mouthful of worn down.. short teeth. The loss of length of both upper and lower teeth creates the loss of Vertical Dimension (bite height – collapsing of the resting jaw position) that inevitably leads to what we normally associate with elderly patients.

The patient was aware of his smile becoming smaller. He was beginning to lose upper lip support and a sinking-in effect of both lip structures (an extreme example would be a toothless smile). Smiling and showing teeth was requiring more conscious effort.

Overall facial structures acquire a more squared-off or round appearance as the Vertical Dimension continues to lose height.

The patient’s goal was to have a full mouth of teeth with normal tooth height and to treat the wide gap between the front two (anterior) teeth.

A full Facial Orthopedic study and evaluation was conducted, utilizing diagnostic equipment that analyzed jaw positioning relationships (tomography studies) and occlusion (bite) characteristics.

The technical data revealed that the patient had lost a significant amount of Vertical Dimension that would require correction or normalization (a process where physical relationships are recreated to correctly proportional to a patient’s facial and jaw characteristics), using a combination of reconstructive and restorative dental products.

Dr. Muslin provided a menu of treatment plan possibilities that enabled the patient to select the degree of functional and cosmetic outcome that he wanted. Our patient selected custom porcelain crowns and veneers with proportional sizing that created a natural appearance in width and height… on a tooth by tooth basis.

The severe diastema was effectively treated with proportionalized restorations that would effectively eliminate the gap without creating the appearance of over sized front teeth.

Preparation and fitting with temporaries was achieved in one treatment. The extensive occlusal studies and diagnostic waxups enabled Dr. Muslin and the dental ceramist to create temporary structures that were worn and “tested” by the patient while the final restorations were being fabricated.

A sufficient amount of time, determined by the patient, was allowed to make sure all cosmetic and functional characteristics were altered to the patient’s satisfaction. Within 3 short weeks, our patient completed his “temporary tryout” and acquired his final custom porcelain products.

The patient’s bite was increased by almost 6mm …. indicating the degree of collapse he had at such an early age. The additional photography below effectively shows the degree of change in bite height. The significant change in upper and lower lip support is more easily observed here. The lips have been repositioned, no longer representing a “sinking in” effect.

You can also send questions directly to Dr. Muslin via our on-line Ask The Dentist form. Dr. Muslin will respond to you directly.

Collapsed Bite Restoration

Facelift Dentistry ^®

Severe Under Bite Reconstruction

Under bites and overbites are a fairly common dental condition among young patients and are almost routinely treated during developmental years through the use of orthodontic treatments.

Adults can also acquire under bites that may stem from a near unnoticeable bite problem that was left untreated during their developmental years or it can accrue to a variety of factors that operate during adult years.

Trauma, disease, untreated or delayed treatment for malocclusion and even the failure to wear orthodontic retainers (often required after ortho treatments) can start and accelerate the process of subnormal occlusion that can shift our lower jaw forward or back, depending upon the characteristics of opposing tooth structures.

Mother Nature and Occlusal Physics

Mother Nature provides dentists with an entire set of mathematical relationships and biting forces that operate with a normalized jaw.

Nearly any event that disturbs or alters a patient’s optimal tooth structure and alignment, occlusal plane or resting position of the upper and lower jaws will eventually require treatment.

Face Collapse Restored

Normal wear and tear, left untreated for too long, eventually caused certain tooth structures to begin overlapping which, in this patient’s case, caused her lower jaw to slowly move forward at an almost imperceptible pace.

As can be seen in the profile photo, the patient’s under bite increased to the point that her TMJoint and jaw muscles acquired unusual distortions. Based on the patient’s report, she had all but lost the ability to eat normally and effortlessly.

Aesthetically, the patient’s face was undergoing significant collapse. The apparent over-closure (upper arch closing down behind the lower jaw and teeth) was causing a distortion of her upper lip and support structures, with the net result of shifting upper lip tissues upward and too far forward.

Abnormal movement and repositioning of the lower jaw is quite evident.

Dr. Muslin conducted a full occlusal analysis, generating a menu of treatment choices that would recreate the physical relationships, individual tooth characteristics and overall tooth height that corresponds with her facial features and jaw structures.

Multiple Treatment Plan Choices

Time factors and the desire to avoid long term treatments led to the decision of the patient to select custom prosthodontic dentures that would deliver the bite and occlusal plane relationships without the need for multiple implants or traditional orthodontics.

Both upper and lower dentures were fabricated simultaneously, taking the best advantage of the technical and aesthetic data generated by Dr. Muslin’s articulation studies. The best of occlusal correction opportunities was thereby assured, delivering a functional result (normal movement of upper and lower jaws) the patient had not had in several years.

Our third and fourth photos dramatically show the changes in the patient’s overall facial structures and especially the lower jaw repositioning. The normalized tooth height and backward shift (into normal relationship with upper jaw) of the lower jaw has lengthened the patient’s face and corrected the upper lip position and support structures.

Our patient was quite pleased with the outcome. With her new, normalized bite, our patient is now able to eat practically anything she wants without discomfort or pain. Understandably…. she looks and feels years younger.

Call us at (310) 829-6796 to schedule a private consultation with Dr. Muslin to learn how modern prosthodontics and custom cosmetic dentures can create youthful appearances lost to the common problem of a collapsing bite.

You can also contact Dr. Muslin directly with your questions by using our on-line Ask The Dentist form. Dr. Muslin will reply to you directly via email, to provide the answers you are looking for.

Birth Defect Baby Teeth and Malocclusion

The Dental Facelift ^®

Congenital Malocclusion Juvenile Bite Dynamics

Malocclusion consisting of a closed bite can make many young adults appear to have a collapsed smile. This condition is typically characterized by insufficient bite height.

Elsewhere on this site another somewhat similar case was described where congenitally missing teeth was causing bite dynamics and smile behaviors that were not normalized for the patient’s face…. nor her age.

Our featured patient had an occlusal, closed bite problem related to having juvenile or baby teeth that failed to undergo the normal adult teeth replacement process… which is fairly common. The excessive tooth spacing caused speech problems….. particularly the patient’s ability to articulate the “s” sound.

Reconstructive and rehabilitative dentistry provides a variety of treatment options for correcting or normalizing adult tooth structures that can create what Mother Nature failed to provide, developmentally.

Our patient was keenly aware of her condition and felt it was affecting her self confidence and spontaneous ability to smile broadly. It was also beginning to affect her participation in public speaking exercises as a college student.

The patient was quite knowledgeable about her condition and the common treatments available to her. Research on the internet led to several interviews and consultations with restorative and reconstructive dentists in the Beverly Hills and Los Angeles area.

Our patient had no interest in having dental implant surgery nor did she want to have extensive porcelain crown tooth replacements.

She felt the procedures were much too invasive for her age and the existing condition of her teeth and jawbone structures.

Minimally invasive and, ideally, non invasive procedures and products were being sought by our patient that would create the normal bite height and occlusion while producing a cosmetic result of having a full, broad smile.

In simple terms, our patient didn’t want to be self conscious about smiling and particularly wanted a smile that had adult characteristics…. rather than juvenile.

After completing a consultation with Dr. Muslin, the patient was provided several treatment possibilities that could avoid the use of treatments she was seeking to avoid.

The patient was provided examples of patients who had undergone occlusal rehabilitation that used custom fabricated veneer products that would effectively address the needed changes in tooth height, width and biting surfaces that could eliminate the use of crowns and/or implants.

Articulation studies and diagnostic waxup models provided the technical information and also cosmetic qualities that would be used to treat each tooth individually. Each low prep feldspathic veneer was created with unique physical characteristics that corresponded with the location of each treated tooth, with special occlusal properties that would change bite height.

At the request of the patient, Dr. Muslin assured that her new tooth structures would not be too large for her smile nor chunky looking. She was very focused on having the veneers create an appearance of having teeth that “belonged” to her smile and facial characteristics.

Our patient was very excited about the outcome. Several weeks later, during a follow up consultation, the patient remarked that most of her friends and acquaintances, especially at school, had complimented her on her “new smile”…. but couldn’t determine what was done. Some people had assumed she finally got her braces off (she never had braces).

Have questions about how complex reconstructive or restorative dentistry can create facial characteristics that failed to develop due to missing or juvenile sized teeth ? Call us at (310) 829-6796 to arrange a consult or use our online Consultation form.

Executive Dental Makeover

Facelift Dentistry ^®

The Dynamics of a Collapsing Bite

The dynamics of a collapsing bite, cumulative changes in occlusion and appearance of a smile that makes us appear older than our actual age are the same for everyone, as a general rule.

There are numerous factors however that have the unfortunate effect of accelerating the process however.

A simple, extreme example would be a person who chooses to keep getting extractions over a period of years, rather than obtaining treatment that would preserve any given tooth structure. Eventually, critical tooth structure support vanishes…. and we have a person with the ultimate case of non existent vertical dimension or tooth height. Everyone can visualize a toothless appearance.

Accelerated collapsing bites usually occur under circumstances that aren’t quite as obvious… which commonly leads people to seek treatment that does not have long lasting results. Read more about the common use of popular plastic surgery treatments and procedures for issues that are clearly “dental in origin.”

Lifestyle – Career Dynamics in Facelift Dentistry

As a group, many people with either very active lifestyles or involvement with business enterprises (executives) are commonly known to accumulate cosmetic and reconstructive dental issues that can become complex.

Busy work and social activities interfere with scheduling routine visits and making dental appointments. As time progresses, the failure to obtain the most routine treatment can actually accelerate the wear and tear process… which is normal.. but with more rapidity.

Meet Ken… a local active businessman who, like other successful business persons and entrepreneurs, just couldn’t seem to find the time for making routine office visits for routine dentistry.

Attractive, physically fit and having the energy level of a young man… Ken “felt” something was missing. Although he thought he had good teeth and a decent smile… he wanted more … a smile and teeth that represented more of how he felt… more youthful and energetic than his stated years.

As can be seen in the adjacent pre-treatment photo, Ken had nice looking teeth, overall. Nice brightness, no significant staining and the appearance of having a good set of teeth.

Looking more closely, however, it can be seen the certain normal and cumulative changes in occlusion are slowly causing a closing bite… or facial collapse.

The occlusal (biting surfaces) and incisal edges of both the upper and lower arch are uneven. Tooth chipping and uneven wear are beginning to appear, which further distorts the occlusal plane… whereby tooth destruction occurs at a faster pace.

Notice how certain anterior tooth structures on the lower (mandibular) jaw have been moved, further evidencing the changing bite.

Support structures critical for normal lip movement and lip positioning had started to change. As with all collapsing bites, Ken’s smile was just beginning to sink inwards, which would increase as his teeth continued to wear down.

Ken, too, was aware that showing a great smile full of teeth required opening his mouth more… a somewhat more conscious effort: one of the first signs of our attempts to overcome a process we are not yet aware of (aging – collapsing bite).

After completing thorough articulation studies and a tomography analysis, Ken was provided with a menu of treatments and procedures that would not only create a fully balanced smile with normalized occlusion but would have the net effect of re-establishing the lip support he once had and a longer face.

Executive Dentistry: Treatment of Choice

Ken was a quick study, readily understanding the physical properties of his jawbone relationships, tooth height and tooth distortions that were slowly creating an aged smile. Certain elements and positioning relationships needed to be corrected.

A total of over 4mm of tooth height and bite opening would be added that would have a corresponding effect on the length of Ken’s face. The opened bite would also change the tmj – tmd relationships which would also shift the lower jaw forward again…. in it’s normal, pre-aging position.

Ken, being the busy executive he has always been…. and typically with little time to spare, was not interested in long term dentistry that would require multiple, extended visits. He simply didn’t have the time.

Custom, bite reconstruction veneers were the treatment of choice. These veneer products are uniquely crafted to provide the occlusal adjustment properties of crowns and overlays but would avoid the extensive tooth preparation that is typically associated with new crowns.

Thin shell feldspathic veneers that have the no-prep qualities of a Nationally advertised brand of a no prep veneer yet possess the cosmetic qualities that are unsurpassed with feldspathic porcelain were created on a tooth by tooth basis, producing the aesthetic and functional results wanted by the patient.

Occlusal analysis, tomography studies, diagnostic waxup modeling and the patient’s trial use of temporary veneers (based on technical and cosmetic data generated from the waxups) required a time frame easily managed by the patient. Within 3 weeks, Ken had the functional, orthodontic and aesthetic results he was looking for.

The forced smile behavior was no longer required. Ken’s renewed ability to have spontaneous and natural smiles created, once again, normal lip movement, lip positioning and lower jaw positioning that made him look and feel years younger.

Questions and Answers: Dental Face Lift

Contact our office at (310) 829-6796 to arrange a personal consultation with Dr. Muslin to learn more about Face Lift Dentistry and the interesting process of changing the appearance of an aging or old, collapsed smile and facial appearance without popular plastic surgery treatments.

You can also send questions directly to Dr. Muslin via our on-line Ask The Dentist form. Dr. Muslin will respond to you directly.

Denture Replacement

The Dental Facelift ^®

Reconstructive and Restorative Dental Procedures

Many denture treatments can provide the ideal treatment solution for several dental issues that affect a very large number of people. Easily affordable for most patients dentures (or partials) can restore good basic dental function with cosmetic qualities that can be quite dramatic, depending upon the materials used.

As with other forms of dentistry, dentures require a fair amount of care….. and to conserve critical gum tissues and underlying jawbone integrity, require routine replacement from time to time.

Most of us however, live by the old rule of “if it ain’t broke… don’t fix it.” Dentures are usually replaced when they are at the point of being almost non-serviceable, which unfortunately, is probably several years past the time they should have been replaced or at least serviced.

The point at which most denture wearers become aware of an unusual feel or fit of the denture is the point at which tissue breakdown usually begins. Gum tissue slowly wears away… as does critical underlying bone mass.

The Long Term Ravages of Malocclusion

Left untreated for too long, the ill fitting dentures cause increasing tissue loss, resulting in bite collapse. Alignment of the upper teeth with lower teeth (regardless of which are dentures) will falter, often causing tmj and tmd related problems.

Eventually, breakage occurs on individual tooth structures or on the entire denture. Faulty alignment issues and the ordinary forces of chewing can cause multiple failures on a single denture yet are frequently interpreted to be a product failure …. a bad denture… rather than a sign of continuing wear of critical gum tissue and underlying jawbone.

Usually, the first incidence of denture or individual tooth structure damage (natural or on the denture) begins the rapid cycle of soft and hard tissue deterioration, accompanied by increased discomfort and a rapidly collapsing smile or bite.

Our patient, as can be seen in the adjacent photo, has several of the telltale signs of severe malocclusion and has begun the process of a collapsing bite. Several teeth (both natural and denture) are broken, chipped or show excessive uneven wear. The upper teeth were closing down (overbite) on his lower teeth.

Current, cutting edge implant dentistry procedures enable experienced dentists to use advanced technologies (virtual dentistry, guided implants, CatScans, SimPlant) for developing treatment solutions that locate and treat bone mass needs creating a teeth attachments that nearly mimic Mother Nature.

Treatment Combination to Achieve the Best Outcome

Combining modern prosthodontics with the best that cosmetic dentistry has to offer can create treatment outcomes that are literally astounding for some patients.

Bite Occlusion analysis and diagnostic waxup modeling created a cosmetic and functional outcome for our denture wearing patient that was very dramatic. Analytical data generated from articulation studies provided Dr. Muslin with the information needed to incorporate dental implants in certain areas of healthy bone tissue to stabilize and reaffirm the occlusal forces required for a healthy bite.

Reconstructive and restorative dental products were used to treat all affected structures, on a tooth by tooth basis… assuring the promise of the healthiest and most enduring bite possible. Height of the bite was recreated by adding height, as needed, to the most critical areas of the jaw (an incorrect balance of restorations can cause immediate failures and breakage).

Our last two post operative photos show the dramatic changes in lip support structures that have added height (vertical dimension correction) and have recreated optimized positioning between the upper and lower jaws.

The patient’s face is longer, losing the round appearance it once had. Upper and lower lip movements during speech and especially smiling, have been regained. Showing off great looking teeth no longer requires a conscious effort…. but is rather quite spontaneous. The patient has his youthful smile again.

Call us at (310) 829-6796 to schedule a private consultation with Dr. Muslin to learn how modern prosthodontics and custom cosmetic dentures can create youthful appearances lost to the common problem of a collapsing bite.

You can also contact Dr. Muslin directly with your questions by using our on-line Ask The Dentist form. Dr. Muslin will reply to you directly via email, to provide the answers you are looking for.

Teeth Grinding - Premature Wear

Facelift Dentistry ^®

Premature Teeth Wear – Nocturnal Bruxism

Aging is inevitable … and a fact of life. A popular goal for many people is to control or at least minimize the impact that aging can have on us. It would be fair to say too, that men are probably not as focused on the aging process as women are.

Aging also affects our teeth. Under normal circumstances (where no significant treatment occurs), both male and female patients can expect to have “old teeth” problems by the time they reach their 40′s or 50′s … the Baby Boomer group.

The popular issues involving aging teeth are discussed in detail on several of our content pages. They can involve worn down teeth, worn down restorations, worn veneers, missing teeth (due to different causes), failed dental treatments, deteriorating fillings and other forms of broken down dentistry.

Abnormal Wear: Male versus Female

Premature wear of tooth structures can occur however, for a certain population of patients. One special group of patients are those who have had significant “untreated” occlusal problems that accompany teeth clenching, teeth grinding or bruxism.

Although bruxism that occurs at night, during our sleep, is fairly common… some people do experience it during the daytime hours… especially under stressful conditions involving school or conditions in the workplace.

Accelerated Aging of Dentition

Men being the obstinate creatures they are… tend to be more prone to avoid treatment more so than women. As a result, they are also prone to experience more wear and tear on critical tooth structures and overall bite dynamics.

Our patient, as shown in the adjacent photos… has a premature condition of excessively worn down teeth. He was aware that his bite had begun to collapse. In addition, the occlusal problems responsible for the years and years of chronic bruxism still existed… since they were not treated.

Mathew had a deep overbite and, coupled with the worn down teeth, was losing lip support. Our 2nd pretreatment picture shows how, with his jaws in normal resting position, the patient’s lips are pressed together and have lost definition. This situation is commonly seen with older adults… not younger.

Notice the uneven wear on the maxillary and mandibular (upper and lower) tooth structures. The lower teeth, in particular, indicate extremely uneven wear which is a common even where bruxism and clenching causes extreme physical forces which can even cause teeth to break, in extreme cases.

The patient’s goal was to treat the bruxism and to reconstruct the physical elements and properties that are responsible for a normal, healthy bite. Fixing, or normalizing, those elements would recreate a vertical dimension and occlusal plane that “fits” the patient’s facial structure and jawbone relationships.

Opting for the best choice of treatment plans, the patient selected minimally invasive feldspathic porcelain veneers, gold crowns, porcelain fused to metal (PFM) crowns, sculpture figorcore and a host of bonding materials to rebuild the occlusal plane.

Due to the uneven and unusual wear on his teeth, Dr. Muslin used a variety of porcelain products with different physical properties, depending on the location in the jaw. There is no single porcelain product that can be effective in all areas of the mouth.

Overlooking or disregarding the differences in physical forces upon different tooth structures (e.g., front teeth versus molars) will result in dental treatment that is doomed to fail in a short time.
The patient felt his results were better than he expected. Based on self report, he feels like a new
man, with a new look, better health and great appearance.

Have questions about how complex reconstructive or restorative dentistry can create facial characteristics that have been lost due to maturing dentition? Call us at (310) 829-6796 to arrange a consult or use our online Consultation form.

Bite Collapse Restored

The Dental Facelift ^®

Worn Down Restorations – Crown Replacements

Our patient, a successful businesswoman, had dental needs that are quite common amongst adults who are involved with and devoted to their careers.

Routine dentistry oftentimes takes a back seat to everyone’s need to maintain their independence and livelihood. For business owners the ability to follow through with routine care becomes even more difficult.

As can be seen in our first pair of pre-treatment photos, our patient has natural teeth and restored teeth that have become significantly shortened through normal wear and tear.

Occlusion Dynamics

In terms of occlusal physics, the shortened teeth are causing an increasing collapse of his bite. As the bite continues to collapse, or close down, wear and tear can become accelerated on certain tooth structures and restorations.

For this patient, some of the old porcelain restorations had started chipping, exposing the underlying metal substructures of the old PFM crowns.

Bruxism, also known as teeth clenching and/or grinding (often occurring during sleep) was beginning to develop, as part of the bite collapse syndrome. Fortunately Crown Lengthening whereby gum tissue surgery is performed to expose more tooth structure above the gum line was not required.

Natural – Functional FaceLift Makeover Dentistry

Achieving great looks isn’t, and shouldn’t be, associated with cosmetic or aesthetic qualities that don’t “fit” a person’s facial characteristics, smile behaviors and maturity.

Smile Design principles, as taught by renowned Las Vegas Institute include a wide variety of aesthetic “rules” for creating colorization, shaping and tooth sizing characteristics that enable creative dentists to reconstruct a smile so perfect, it appears to “belong” to the patient.

Achievement of this goal assures our patients of having a new smile that looks, feels and functions so normally that even Cosmetic Dentists can be fooled.

Motion Tomography and Waxup Modeling

Complex diagnostics with articulation studies, motion studies and diagnostic wax ups enabled Dr. Muslin and the patient to select the porcelain products that assured opportunities for the patient to create the degree of whiteness and shading characteristics that he felt were appropriate for his smile and facial structures.

Technical data generated, for Dr. Muslin and the Lab Ceramist, the information needed for creating and fabricating restorative products that assured the healthiest dental function possible.

Temporaries were used so the patient could try out his choices of aesthetic properties of veneers and crowns … which became the final “model” for fabricating all of the restorative products. This step eliminates the possibility of “surprises” that patients don’t want.

Bite Lift – Face Lift Phenomenon

The combination of crown replacement dentistry and reconstructive porcelain veneer products added significant height to the patient’s bite and occlusal relationships. The upper lip acquired additional support also.

The patient’s collapsing bite was successfully reversed. Height adjustments were achieved across tooth structures and jaw positioning relationships that were normalized for the patient at a much younger age.

The net effect creates a longer facial structure, establishes renewed underlying support structures and produces jaw resting positions and smile behaviors that recreate a more youthful, but natural, appearance.

As can be seen in our final post-treatment photo… the patient was thrilled with the outcome.

Have questions about how complex reconstructive or restorative dentistry can create facial characteristics that have been lost due to maturing dentition? Call us at (310) 829-6796 to arrange a consult or use our online Consultation form.