” Heather Sarmiento did a great job. She initially recommended that I visit. She really knew a lot about Neuromuscular Dentistry. She was very knowledgable and extremely professional during my visit. She is definitley an asset to that office.” Narissa H.
Staying updated on the latest and most advanced techniques and technology is what we are all about at Boulder Valley Dental Center!
We incorporate the following advanced technology in our practice:
Millenium’s PerioLase (1064nm Nd:Yag Laser) LANAP (Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure, is the first FDA Cleared procedure using a laser to treat moderate to advanced periodontitis)
HOYA ConBios DioDent Micro (980nm Diode Laser) used by our laser certified tissue therapist, Kimberly, to treat early to moderate periodontitis. This technology is also used to Dr. Hughes for Cosmetic Dentistry Gum Recontouring and doing frenectomies (releasing tongue tie)
Isolite Dryfield Illuminator increases your comfort and safety during restorative dentistry and cosmetic dentistry. Soft bite block, suction and illumination for more efficient dentistry appointments.
Diagnodent, a laser cavity detection system.
Digital Intraoral Photography using a Cannon 10D Digital Camera for patient viewing
J-5 Myomonitor (low frequency TENS)
Smile Reminder patient e-mail and texting appointment confirmations.
Dentsply Cavitron Jet Plus for comfortable microsonic dental cleanings.
CariFree Caries Maintenance Prevention. Be cavity free, for life!
AED (automated electronic defibrillator) is becoming the standard of care in the event of a medical emergencies. These are seen in airports, shopping malls and other public areas, why not a dental office? Dr. Hughes is trained in Advanced Cardiac Life Support and knows how to treat medical emergencies.
Dental Laboratory- Las Vegas Esthetics Master Ceramist providing exceptional porcelain/ceramic dental restorations of natural beauty. We do not ship your impressions out of the country or to cheap production laboratories.
Up and coming this year in 2009… Digital X-ray system and K-7 Electromyograph (EMG) for diagnosing and treating TMJ dysfunction, headaches and neuromuscular dysfunction.
Headache is one of the leading causes of physician visits by patients and accounts for an enormous annual expenditure for pain relief medications. Yet few people think of going to a dentist for headache treatment. You probably know that what we dentists call “occlusion” is what most people refer to as their “bite” – the way their teeth come together. What many people do not know, is how far-reaching the impact of a poor bite can be.
For example, did you know that a poor bite can be the cause of pain almost anywhere in the head and neck area? Headache is a prime example. Yet, headaches in the temple region are very commonly related to the bite and, correcting the bite often resolves the headaches.
To be sure, htere are other causes of headache and head or neck pain. Most patients iwth this type of pain have already seen a physician to rule out other possible causes such as tumors, eye-strain, etc. With the post-graduate training I have completed, and state-of-the art equipment that we have acquired, we are able to scientifically rule in (or rule out) your bite as a possible source of pain.
I give you this as just one example of problems that may be caused or affected by your bite- a cause that most people aren’t aware of. There are many others and they are listed as symptoms on the checklist below. We now routinely use this checklist with our patients to determine and record any of those symptoms that you may have. We also record what we refer to as “signs” that your occlusion may have problems. We invite you to look over this list of symptoms and see if any pertain to you – give yourself a “self-test”.
If you have any of these symptoms listed below, it would be in your best interest to have your occlusion evaluated. With cosmetic dentistry so popular today, it is especially important to make sure your bite is healthy prior to proceeding. A bad bite is often the cause of poor aesthetics, and if the bite is not corrected as part of the treatment process, the cosmetic procedure may be doomed to premature failure.
I hoep that you have found this information of interest. If you have questions after reading this or examining the Symptoms Checklist, Boulder Valley Dental Center would be more than happy to provide you with further information about Neuromuscular Dentistry. If you have friends or loved ones that you suspect suffer from these conditions, you would be doing them a favor to pass this information along.
SYMPTOMS your bite may be causing:
SIGNS
Yours for Better Dentistry,
Tracey R. Hughes, DDS, FAGD
Neuromuscular Restorative Dentist
Cosmetic Dentist
Serving patients in Boulder, Louisville, Lafayette, Broomfield, Superior
Modern dentistry expands its reach beyond your teeth. Advances in the science of complete dentistry have taught us how to bring the jaw into a relaxed position to help alleviate years of pain and discomfort.
Neuromuscular dentistry uses the relaxed position of the muscles of the head and neck to place your jaw into an optimal physiologic position. Over Twenty-five years of research and clinical experience have shown this position to be effective in treating patients with head and neck pain.
Who is affected? Temporomandibular joint disease (also known as TMD or TMJ) affects 75 million people at any one time. It is a chronic, degenerative disease that may take years to develop. People who suffer from TMD have a structural imblalance in their jaw-skull relationship, caused by a bad bite. The disease causes the following:
What are the symptoms? You may be a candidate for neuromuscular dentistry if you experience any of the following symptoms on a regular basis:
How can you help me?
Dr. Tracey Hughes is well trained and highly capable of treating the neuromuscular symptoms of a patient with a poor bite (malocclusion). Following a comprehensive examination, she may diagnose malocclusion and recommend a treatment plan that will correct your bite and alleviate pain and discomfort.
To correct this malocclusion, Dr. Tracey Hughes may recommend the use of dental restorations that can precisely raise or lower areas of your bite to create a naturally comfortable position for your jaw. We also use the J5 Myomonitor Tensing unit, an electrical muscle stimulator that exercises your facial and jaw muscles to find your most relaxed state. In most cases, we can reposition your jaw without surgery or braces, and complete the treatment in a few short weeks.
How will I look following treatment?
We find that many patients experience a moderate to sifnificant change in their facial appearance following completion of treatment. Patients with recessed lower jaws may have a new profile, accenting a stronger jaw line and chin. Areas of the jaw that may have protruded excessively will be pulled back into alignment. In addition, all of the restorations necessary to correct the bite will be created with consideration to the aesthetic result of the smile. Not only will this procedure correct pain, it can give you the smile you have always dreamed about.
