WHAT IS IT?
A plastic appliance that you wear for 2 weeks to let us diagnose the proper position of your bite. It allows us to analyze your present bite position for possible improvement. It is a diagnostic tool only. A small percentage of patients who try the deprogrammer will not benefit from proceeding to treatment.
WHO IS IT FOR?
If you are someone who has any of the following symptomatic problems, you will benefit from having your bite analyzed with the deprogrammer for potential treatment:
- an inability to chew thick bread or bagels comfortably
- an inability to chew rice with your back teeth
- an inability to chew only one piece of gum
- you do not know how your teeth “should” fit together
- you have worn front teeth, chipped or cracked back teeth, cracked fillings, loose teeth, a sore jaw, tight jaw muscles
- you need your front teeth renewed with veneers or crowns
HOW DOES IT WORK?
When the deprogrammer locates a bite that works best for your muscle, jaw joints and teeth, it allows us to manage your bite forces. The deprogrammer allows your jaw to “seat itself” into the joint. When it is not seated, there are sometimes problems that need treatment. The seated position allows less wear and tear on your teeth, dental work and jaw joints. This presents predictably less dentistry over your lifetime.
THIS MEANS
- fewer new crowns
- fewer worn out existing crowns
- fewer fractured teeth or fillings
- less joint pain
- less over compression of the disk in the jaw joint
- and overall stronger teeth that experience less excessive structural damage / fatigue caused by the unnecessary forces of a poor bite position
This improved bit position, found by the deprogrammer, will allow less destructive forces as it provides a more coordinated jaw musculature.
WHAT TREATMENT HAPPENS AFTER THE DEPROGRAMMER?
Sometimes we simply need to re-align or fine-tune the old bite with a one-visit appointment that involves NO anesthetic. The adjustments are minute and precise to a definitive end point (see “Equilibration”). Sometimes we need to build a new “custom bite”. Either way, an individualized treatment plan is designed and presented to you, especially for you. You can see why we consider this to be the first truly anti-aging devise for your teeth.
PATIENT INSTRUCTIONS
- wear the appliance as much as possible (including during sleep)
- remove only for eating and oral hygiene
- you MUST bring your appliance to all appointments.
- when not in your mouth, keep your appliance in your retainer box
- brush and rinse the appliance daily in cool or lukewarm water
- any discomfort should resolve after 24 hours of use
The more you wear the appliance, the more thoroughly the muscle memory of where the teeth used to fit together will be erased.You will know you are “deprogrammed” when, upon removal of the appliance, the first point of contact between your teeth can be reproduced every time. This will improve the predictability of your treatment following bite adjustment.
FOLLOW UP
Ensure you have a 30 minute appointment scheduled two weeks following insertion.
If you have any questions, concerns, or experience additional discomfort, please call our office.
Ref: Dr. John Kois, DDS