<b>By Stephen W. Durham, DMD</b>

For a lot of people, dentures can be a breakthrough in their appearance.  And not just because their teeth are brilliant, even and straight, but also because the right kind of dentures can make your whole face brighter and younger-looking.

There are a couple of good reasons for that.  First, as life goes on our teeth wear down, and one day our chin is not as far from our nose as it was years ago.  Even a subtle shortening of the face can add years to a person’s appearance.  Well-fitted dentures can put back that youthful set of the chin.  It cheers up the wearer and the folks around them, too.  Add to that a ready-er smile and you have results that are truly a “natural face-lift.”

The second reason goes deeper.  Many people experience some degree of pain because of the way the bones and muscles of their jaw work together.  When their alignment is off, headaches, neck and shoulder pain, clicking or hurting in the jaw, or even ringing in the ears can result.  We call it TMD, or temporomandibular joint disorder, and unfortunately it is very common.  Research shows that most North Americans feel one or more of these symptoms, and yet very often the cause stays unknown.

With TMD relieved, everything brightens up, including your comfort, your outlook and your appearance.

If you are a denture wearer, or a candidate for dentures, then the solution could be neuromuscular dentures.

Neuromuscular dentures are created using the finest bite analysis available to make sure they put your jaw in its most natural position.  A computerized bite analysis and a succession of careful impressions give you a fit that puts your jaw muscles at rest.  A happy bi-product of this process it that these dentures fit far better than traditional dentures.

There’s no doubt that dentures are a big step in a person’s life.  Our team makes sure that it is a big step forward, beginning with the moment you walk into the relaxed and considerate atmosphere of our office.  Patients have said that they feel like they’re among family, and that’s our highest achievement.  It is so important that folks not hesitate to do what’s right for their health, so our goal is to make that easy, natural and comfortable.

<i>A recipient of the 2012 Mastership Award from the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), Dr. Stephen Durham is a graduate of Clemson University and the Medical University of South Carolina College of Dental Medicine. He is a Fellow of the Las Vegas Institute (LVI) for Neuromuscular and Cosmetic Dentistry. Dr. Durham practices at Durham Dental at Town Center in Beaufort. For more information, visit his website at www.DrStephenDurham.com or call 843.379.5400.</i>