Is opening the bite is the best way to save worn teeth?


Sometimes it is, but often it is not the only way, since orthodontic tooth movement and or crown lengthening can be utilized as well in the restoration of  extremely worn teeth. Yesterday I started a case on a patient with worn teeth. When she smile she looked edentulous. We had been discussing a fix for her problem teeth for years and this year she decided to invest in a new smile.

I started her case by mounting her models on a Panadent articulator that has an adjustable pin. I then opened the pin and her bite by 3 mm and sent the case to my laboratory for an esthetic wax up. Once this was returned with a clear putty matrix to help fabricate her temporaries and yesterday I prepared her front six teeth and fabricated two temporaries, one using Pro temp composite ( the more esthetic version) and a more durable one using Jet Acrylic.

Close up of smile

Durable Jet Acrylic temporary


The photos show  her temporary restoration. I plan on having her back in two weeks to prepare the rest of her maxillary posterior teeth. In the mean time she will get used to her new bite without any posterior stops or interferences.

from Ask Dr. Spindel - http://lspindelnycdds.blogspot.com/2019/05/is-opening-bite-is-best-way-to-save.html - http://lspindelnycdds.blogspot.com/

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