Dr. Clayton Chan…..views on fabricating an appliance
Wise words…..
Here is the problem:
Some folks don’t realize that there are a number of things that should be considered to make a so called “NM orthotic” or whatever appliance/ GNM Orthotic to be effective. It’s not just the look of the appliance, its not just the shape of the appliance, its not the color of the appliance that makes an Orthotic successful! Its how the doctor, yes the doctor manages it. It is how he/she the dentist finds the mandibular position of the patient. It’s not some kind of willy nilly open the VDO (vertical dimension of occlusion) and snap the orthotic in your mouth and away you go! NO. It’s so much more than that. It’s more than collecting some fee and saying now you are done. NO its more than that….Its not about doing a 5-10 min adjustment and says everything looks good and now you are done (that is NM??? – You are kidding?!!%^&). NO, it should be more than that! Its about the doctor taking his/her time to do it right! Yes, that is right it takes time to make an orthotic or a so called NM orthotic fit well in the mouth, feel and function properly in your mouth. If it ain’t feeling right in your mouth it ain’t going to help you get better faster…It will just take more time like all the other splints and quickie band aid appliances so called NM orthotics out there.
Sure there is a particular way we design the orthotics amongst the OC doctors, but again, that doesn’ t guarantee anything…its the doctors know how, the training and the time he/she spends to apply the principles and the techniques “properly” that are necessary to make that orthotic feel like is is suppose to fit not just on the top of the teeth but between the teeth when you talk, chew and sleep. It takes time!
Again, if the appliance is not feeling right in you mouth, of course you will not want to wear it…because the bite is not fitting correctly, or the position of the appliance that it is causing your jaw to go to some other position (pathologic), it may not be right and or a number of other factors. So, lets be clear on what is not working! It’s not just the look or color or shape of “one of those”. It’s how it is done to fit the mouth and bite that makes it effective…It is not the clear thing that is the secret to TMD resolution!
– Clayton A. Chan, D.D.S. – Las Vegas, NV To Read More:
