North Texas Dentistry Volume 5 Issue 3 | Page 12

SMILES SPOTLIGHT in the Laurie had been a patient of Dr. Stewart’s for over 15 years, during which they had repeatedly discussed these issues. She knew that these problems needed resolution and she wanted to begin the rejuvenation process since her condition was worsening. Dr. Stewart explained that he could predictably and successfully treat her by addressing her whole system and not just her teeth. He described that by relaxing her facial and jaw muscles and centering her TMJ, her pain would be alleviated. This could be accomplished with only a few teeth requiring crowns and the remaining teeth treated with minimally invasive composite resins—giving her a stable functional occlusion and a beautiful smile. Dr. Stewart’s description was reassuring to Laurie and the idea of resolving all of her issues with minimally invasive procedures encouraged her to proceed. LEADERS IN NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRY CREATING UNFORGETTABLE SMILES Minimally Invasive Full Mouth Rejuvenation: A New Standard of Care Introduction Until now full mouth restoration meant that the patient must experience the unpleasant process of having all of their teeth prepped for crowns. Not only is this very expensive, making the reality of full mouth rehabilitation cost prohibitive, but it is extremely invasive. The Texas Center for Occlusal Studies (TXCOS) founding partners Dr. Hal Stewart, Dr. Craig Herre, and Dan O’Rourke, CDT have dedicated themselves to teaching dentists the sound biologic principles of occlusion. They have developed technical procedures to restore and rehabilitate full mouth cases using minimally invasive techniques that are predictable, stable, and far more affordable for the average patient. Their philosophy and technique is called Rejuvenation Dentistry. The following case by Dr. Hal Stewart illustrates a typical rejuvenation case. Patient’s Chief Complaint Laurie’s primary concern was the ever-increasing tooth wear, jaw pain, and facial muscle tension that she was experiencing. She also felt that her face was ‘shortening’ and her chin was jutting out more and more as the years passed. 12 NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRY | www.northtexasdentistry.com Examination The examination revealed generalized attrition of all of Laurie’s teeth resulting in a decreased vertical dimension of occlusion. Her protruding c