By Richard A. Stanley, DMD, President
I remember walking with my father when he was in dental school, through the University of Indiana Dental School. I remember the look, the smell, and the feel of dentistry from 55 years ago.
I remember my own dental school just 20 years later at the University of Florida. Wow, had things changed! I look at it now and the changes in the 30 years I have practiced… Most of the procedures we do on a daily basis were not taught in the dental schools 30 years ago. The most advanced procedures are still only taught to and learned by the exceptionally motivated dentists who pursue a life long learning. Some of the technology we are currently using at The Smile Centre has only been taught to less than 1% of American dentists.
The overall objectives remain the same: to keep healthy teeth, gums, and bone for a lifetime. We like to call it “Healthy Smiles for a Lifetime.” I think the ‘smiles’ part of the phrase is important as it illustrates that it is not with only the hard tooth that we are concerned, but the overall health of the mouth, jaw bones, muscles of the face, neck, and even the spine. As ‘the doctors of the mouth,’ we are increasingly aware of how interrelated the body is.
Many years ago, we embraced the idea that we had to look at the mouth, jaws, TMJ (temporo-mandibular joint), and muscles as a system. Now more than ever, we realized that the muscles are the driving forces of the jaws and may have even greater importance in affecting the long term health of the teeth, jaws, and even our overall posture. In fact, it looks that over 60% of headaches are caused by jaw and teeth related issues. People often look to stress as the causative factor. Stress certainly is a factor, which does push us over the edge, but only if we already have many other pathologic pieces of the pain puzzle in place. These chronic head and neck pains can often be resolved with in hours by addressing the position of the lower jaw and muscles.
Whenever we see worn teeth, multiple broken teeth, recession, or bites where the upper front teeth cover most of the lower teeth (deep overbite), we can rest assured that there are underlying bite and jaw muscle problems.
When we address these concerns, we are able create absolutely spectacular smiles that are extremely durable and beautiful. Being able to provide this level of care for our guests and seeing the dramatic changes in their lives is what continues to drive our passion for learning and using the latest tools and procedures to provide cosmetic, restorative, and neuromuscular dentistry.
For more information, please contact The Smile Centre at University at 941-227-4176, in Mid-
town Sarasota at 941-227-4183, or in Venice at 941-227-4186. Visit us online and view our patient testimonials at www.TheSmileCentre.net. We look forward to meeting you in our comfortable, friendly environment and answering all your questions.
University Palm Aire Plaza at Sarasota
5899 Whitfield Avenue, Suite 105
Sarasota, FL 34243
941-227-4176
The South Trail Office at Sarasota
3220 S. Tramiami Trail
Saratosa, FL 34239
941-227-4183
The Galleria at Venice Avenue
1500 East Venice Avenue, Suite 203
Venice, FL 34292
941-227-4186