Providing dentures superior in appearance and function requires a combination of science and art. NMD is an abbreviation for Neuromuscular Dentistry. The “neuromuscular denturist” is one who studies computer generated information concerning the status and function of the muscles and joints involved in your bite (occlusion), in addition to all of the traditional means of dental diagnosis.
In other words, the NM denturist considers teeth, muscles and joints – not just teeth. This expanded information permits the denturist to optimize the bite that in turn provides better function.
How does NMD help provide superior dentures?
When restoring a single tooth, the denturist can use the rest of your teeth as a reference for how high the new tooth should be and how it fits. An edentulous patient (one without teeth) presents a bigger challenge – Where do you put the teeth? Where to establish the bite (how high to make the upper and lower teeth) has traditionally been largely an arbitrary decision based on the denturist’s experience. While the patient may get by with this arbitrary bite position, it frequently leads to functional problems in chewing or speech and may also result in considerable discomfort or pain. An arbitrary bite position may also result in a very unnatural look.
In NMD, the denturist precisely measures the activity of the muscles that control the jaw and determines an optimum jaw position from that study. The bite is then built to this jaw position – one dictated by your own body when the muscles are truly relaxed.
In the neuromuscular evaluation process the NM denturist also looks for any abnormalities in your jaw function and will take steps to correct them in finalizing the dentures. Technology is also used in taking the impressions for making your dentures. This leads to a denture base that is held in place by the soft tissues of the cheeks, preventing “rocking” or looseness of the denture.
Where does the art come from?
Establishing the bite and identifying functional problems are based on the scientific, computer-aided diagnosis. Art is applied when it comes to the aesthetic part of finalizing your denture design. Denturists utilizing neuromuscular principles have also extensively studied the art of producing dentures with a natural, pleasant look.
Even the smallest details of tooth selection and placement are studied – size of various teeth, angle at which they are set, ratios of height to width, shade & color, and many other factors. In the end, all of these features come together to produce a remarkably natural looking appearance.