With exceptional education and the integrity to do the right thing for her patients, Dr. Margaret Radziszeski practices functional dentistry. This is a philosophy of looking at the “whole picture” and finding the root cause when treating dental problems. Myofunctional Therapy is often incorporated into functional dentistry to address issues with muscle function. This therapy can also improve the overall health of the masticatory system (all parts involved in chewing).
What is Functional Dentistry?
Similar to the rest of the medical field, dentists possess a diversity of skill sets based on the type of their training, education, and passion for patient care. To become an above-average dentist and provide patients with healthy, beautiful, long-lasting smiles, Dr. Margaret Radziszewski studied under the world’s pioneers in dentistry. She graduated from the prestigious Dawson Academy, the most respected and honored advanced dental training institution. She is among the 10% of dentists in the U.S. who possess this training.
The philosophy behind Functional Dentistry is to teach dentists how to become physicians of the entire masticatory system and to understand every structural part of it (the jaw joint-TMJ, muscles, and teeth). Looking beyond teeth enables Dr. Radziszewski to provide STABILITY by detecting signs of dental damage before we have symptoms. Finding the root cause and preventing dental pain, tooth wear, and tooth damage before they become permanent is the key to creating long-lasting smiles.
If the focus were solely on teeth, so much could be missed. Functional Dentistry allows Dr. Radziszewski to analyze the ten structural and functional factors in the chewing system and recreate the missing links. When treating even a single tooth, the treatment should be done concerning the entire chewing system.
We use our thousands of times a day, when we speak, bite, and chew. Teeth are connected to our bloodstream. This may be taken for granted, but they play an important part in the overall health.
Complete Dentistry has allowed Dr. Radziszewski to help patients regain their optimum health. She has created thousands of successful cases and healthy, comfortable, and beautiful smiles.
Why Is Function Important for Oral Health?
There is so much that could be missed if the focus would be solely on teeth. Functional Dentistry allows Dr. Radziszewski to analyze the ten structural and functional factors in the chewing system to find the missing links. When treating even a single tooth, the treatment should be done with respect to the entire chewing system.
Our teeth are used thousands of times a day, during speaking, sustaining the forces of chewing and digesting food. Their proper function is necessary for healthy, comfortable, and beautiful smiles. The study of Functional Dentistry has allowed Dr. Radziszewski to help patients regain their optimum health.
What Is Occlusal Disease?
When your upper and lower teeth fit together the right way, it creates a healthy balance between your teeth, jaw muscles, and jaw joints (TMJ). This balance is called occlusion, and it helps protect your teeth from damage and keeps your smile strong for life.
Many people haven’t heard of “Occlusal Disease,” and that’s okay, you’re not alone! Most people have this condition in some form, but it’s often not diagnosed.
Modern dentistry has shown us that tooth loss isn’t just caused by cavities or gum disease. A big cause of tooth damage is occlusal disease, which happens when your bite doesn’t work properly.
Occlusal disease means your upper and lower teeth don’t line up or fit together properly. This unbalanced bite can hurt your teeth and your jaw. It’s a problem with the chewing system, caused by:
- Too much pressure on your teeth
- Jaw movement problems involving the TMJ (jaw joint)
Occlusal disease manifests itself by wear on teeth, cracked teeth, receding gums, sensitive teeth, teeth changing position, and nerve pain. Like any other disease, it is progressive and leads to pain and inflammation of the TMJ. Thankfully, at Dazzling Dentistry, we have the most comfortable solutions to treat your occlusal problems and save your smile.
How Do We Treat Occlusal Disease with Functional Dentistry?
There are two important steps in evaluating and analyzing the health and function of your smile.
~Comprehensive diagnosis and treatment planning is essential in order to obtain a healthy, highly functional, unworn smile. ~
STEP 1: FUNCTIONAL EVALUATION $195
The first step is a personal evaluation to check how your bite and jaw work. This helps us find any problems with how your teeth fit together or how your jaw moves.
During this visit, we check:
- The muscles you use for chewing, your jaw joints (called TMJ)
- Wear on your teeth
- For loose teeth
- If you have problems with how your teeth come together when you bite
We’ll guide you through different jaw movements to see how your upper and lower teeth line up. We’ll also test how your jaw joints are working. If we find any problems with the joints, we may recommend that you get an MRI to take a closer look.
STEP 2: BITE ANALYSIS (RECORDS) $595
In this step, we gather all the information on the patient’s teeth and chewing system so that Dr. Radziszewski can analyze it in detail. We scan the patient’s teeth and bite, take measurements, and photograph them for further analysis.
After your visit, we enter the information into our computer system and create models of your teeth. We place these models on a special device called an articulator. This allows us to transfer the patient’s upper jaw to lower jaw function in centric relation (the most anatomical and stable position of the condyle in the joint).
Dr. Radziszewski takes time to study how your teeth work and look for any problems with your bite. This helps her understand what’s causing issues and how to fix them. She uses her expert knowledge of how the teeth and jaw should work together to build a custom treatment plan just for you. Dr. Radziszewski follows the functional goals of occlusion and uses her fundamental, complete dentistry knowledge to provide complete treatment plans.
If your situation is different or more complex, we can talk about other treatment options. Dr. Radziszewski believes every patient deserves to understand their bite problems and receive the best possible care.
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Treatment Solutions for Occlusal Disease in Chicago
We provide multiple treatments as a part of functional dentistry in Arlington Heights and Chicago, IL:
1. EQUIBILATION (Reshaping teeth)
Equilibration is the corrective process of distributing the bite forces equally to all teeth by SELECTIVE RESHAPING of teeth to create a well-balanced bite. Equilibration aims for the teeth to fit together and function well to prevent damaging them. (All the teeth should hit evenly with the same pressure.) Well-equilibrated teeth will also release the disharmony and pressure in muscles and joints.
An uneven, unbalanced bite is like a four-legged stool that wobbles. To fix the wobbly stool, you use a piece of sandpaper, determine which leg is the longest one, and reduce that leg just enough so that all the legs are even and the stool is stable on the floor. We do the same thing with the teeth, except we have more legs to consider.
The process of reshaping teeth is so slight that you would not notice a difference in the shape, but you’ll likely notice a big difference in how you bite and how well your teeth will fit together.
Equilibration on properly selected patients is conservative, predictable, minimally invasive, and extremely successful.
2. DEPROGRAMMING (OCCLUSAL SPLINT)
Sometimes, before we can begin treatment, we need to help the jaw relax into its natural, most comfortable position. This step is called deprogramming, and it often involves using a special device called an occlusal splint.
An occlusal splint is a custom-made appliance that fits over your teeth, kind of like a mouthguard. You wear it at night while you sleep. Its job is to take pressure off your jaw muscles and help them relax. When the muscles are relaxed, your jaw can settle into a healthier, more natural position.
This step is important because tense or overworked jaw muscles can affect how your teeth fit together. If we begin treatment before your jaw is in the right position, it could lead to problems with your bite later on. By wearing the occlusal splint, we can get a clearer picture of how your teeth and jaw should truly align.
3. ORTHODONTICS (Braces)
Sometimes, braces or other orthodontic treatments are needed to help move the teeth into better positions before we can fix or rebuild them. But straightening the teeth isn’t always enough. If the orthodontist doesn’t understand how the teeth should work together when you bite and chew, the teeth might look straight but still not work well.
4. RESTORATIONS
We may recommend an array of restorations to rebuild proper contact of teeth. Our office can restore and rebuild worn teeth. We can provide restorations with tooth-colored materials like porcelain or composite (filling material).
5. COMBINATION
During the bite analysis, we often find that some teeth need to be reshaped, moved, or fixed to work better together. Every patient is treated as an individual, with respect for their needs and goals. We might suggest treatments like SureSmile braces, dental implants, or crowns to help balance your bite and improve how your teeth fit together.
Schedule an Appointment
Does your bite make it hard to eat the foods you want? Fix your bite with functional dentistry in Chicago, IL, and Arlington Heights, IL. Call Dazzling Dentistry today at (872) 276-8546. You can also request an appointment online.