Headaches from clenching teeth

• By lookingglass
• Posted September 8, 2008 at 8:17 am
• Report post

I did some more research on line about my condition and here’s what I found out.
“Grinding and clenching of teeth during the day or while sleeping may be a direct result of stress or be a side effect of some medications such as antidepressants”, which I feel is the case in my situation. When I think about it, my problem started when my doctor put me on the antidepressant Paxil. As far as using the snap on smile as advertised by the appliance promoters, when I asked my dentist about it, he just chuckled and told me that it would be an expensive way to find out. Then I looked on line again and found this on YouTube. “http://hk.youtube.com/tometalk, - “Don't waste your money, I wasted $2,700 for upper and lower. I look like Mr. Ed, can't speak correctly (like Mr. Ed with a bit in his mouth), are uncomfortable and feel like you have a mouth full of plastic play teeth. As usual, advertising that doesn't come through on the promise.”

Lookingglass

• Reply

• By Darrell3
• Posted September 8, 2008 at 11:40 am
• Report post

Dear Lookingglass:

For my patients who have difficulty overcoming jaw-clenching habits, I often suggest (sugarless) gum. I am a clencher myself. Closely related to clenching is my habit of chewing on the left side of my tongue - which is also a common habit.

Even when I am not chewing the gum, it sits between my teeth and becomes an unavoidable reminder to stop forcing my teeth together - which fatigues muscles and causes some people to have headaches, neck and shoulder pains. Needless to say, the habit also wears out teeth.

As a bonus, even a toothbrush cannot clean the biting surfaces of teeth better than chewing gum - but one must occasionally chew on the right side of the mouth as well. I hope this helps.

About those snap on smiles…

If snap-on teeth are what I think they are, and restrict jaw movements, I cannot think of a worse thing a person could do for a clenching habit. Don’t do it. The bulky teeth can turn a relatively benign clenching habit into a painful TMJ problem that might not go away. If a dentist sells snap-on teeth to alleviate clenching or grinding habits, the state board of dentistry should be notified.

After reading the comments about Snap-on Smiles that you copied from YouTube, I would like to know how consumers perceive the quality of dental devices that are similarly marketed directly to the public - bypassing the judgment of neighborhood dentists who have watched the magic of new products come and go for natural and sometimes painful reasons.

Perhaps a representative from Snap-On Smiles would be interested in discussing the pros and cons of their product for a national audience right here and now. That would be something special. It could be interesting as well as educational for dentists, patients and PR firms across the nation. There is certainly room for more transparency in dentistry.

Darrell K. Pruitt DDS

• Reply

• By lookingglass
• Posted September 9, 2008 at 9:42 am
• Report post

Dear Dr. Darrell K. Pruitt
Thank you for your advice. Everything you said makes total sense. Your comment, “I would like to know how consumers perceive the quality of dental devices that are similarly marketed directly to the public - bypassing the judgment of neighborhood dentists who have watched the magic of new products come and go for natural and sometimes painful reasons” should be presented to the governing body of dentistry.

• Reply

• By Darrell3
• Posted September 9, 2008 at 11:41 am
• Report post

Dear Lookingglass:

To battle deception in dental care products, I don’t think governance is the answer. Lawyers are expensive, while government deterrents are expensive and impotent. I prefer to think American consumers have the ability and motivation to sort out fantasy from cures for themselves using the natural and efficient free-market. All they need are convenient sources of reliable information.

Advertisements are convenient, but not reliable.

The best sources for reliable information about dentistry that is (almost completely) un-influenced by public and private stakeholders, are the institutions of higher learning. It is my opinion that the education of the public is where American dental schools have let down the nation that pays their bills. Think of the money that could have been saved instead of wasted on stuff that just does not work.

Equipping consumers with good, convenient information would provide the best return on investment for the whole nation and would effectively prevent permanent harm - saving billions of dollars, and pain. Conversation rules naturally. That’s my opinion. Darrell K. Pruitt DDS

• Reply

• By BPflughaupt
• Posted December 26, 2008 at 12:19 pm
• Report post

Dear lookinglass -

The quote you mention in your post was originally made at the following link: http://www.trybeautytips.com/2008/08/27/the-snap-on-smile.html#comments.
I submitted a comment/response to that site, but it evidently hasn't been approved yet by the site moderator. Nevertheless, I do know that in rare cases of dissatisfaction like this one, Snap-On Smile customer service (reach them on this page: http://snaponsmile.com/contact-us or at 1-877-7-snapon) has bent over backwards to address issues to the full satisfaction of patients. Without more detailed information there is no way to tell if the patient expressed concern and worked with his dentist to alleviate any problems he had at the time.

I urge you to access the link to a recent story from Washington DC that also appeared in Ohio (I used Tinyurl.com to shorten the link for ease):
http://tinyurl.com/a6wx5b

The above shows how Snap-On Smile not only assists in the short term for those who are in need, but in over 40% of cases leads to patients being so happy with their new smile they go on to permanent restorative treatment as well. Working with your dentist to determine your best treatment options is important for every patient.

I look forward to continuing the conversation here -- I trust the holidays are treating you all well ... and wish you a happy and healthy new year!

• Reply

• By BPflughaupt
• Posted December 26, 2008 at 1:44 pm
• Report post

Hi Dr. Pruitt - I'm happy to do so. My name is Barbara Pflughaupt and I'm the national media relations contact for Snap-On Smile and just became aware of this post.
I agree with you 1,000 percent: Transparency is king, and we're committed to providing straightforward information about the Snap-On Smile(R) appliance. I would also be happy to get you in touch with someone within in the company who can provide additional information, case studies and answer any questions you may have.

While there's never 100 percent satisfaction with any product, we've found that the vast majority of thousands of Snap-On Smile appliance wearers and their dentists are extremely happy with the results, experiencing a change in smile that literally changes their lives for the better. There's a level of increased self-confidence and self-esteem that is genuinely remarkable- it's a story I love to see.
If you would like to talk further with a product specialist please call our customer service number: 1-877-7-snapon or use the contact us page on the web site at http://snaponsmile.com/contact-us. We'll do all we can to answer any questions to your satisfaction.

• Reply

• By tometalk
• Posted January 4, 2009 at 7:39 pm
• Report post

Questions regarding claims maid by the Snap on Smile providers:

Movie Star Smiles- Your claim- “For patients who want to sport the smile of their favorite celebrity be it Tom Cruise, Halle Berry, or Jessica Simpson can have that smile in as little as two easy visits.” Since the resin teeth cover the originals, they must be made larger than the patient’s own teeth in order to cover them. If the patient’s teeth are slightly larger than the teeth of the celebrity chosen, or if the patient exposes a different amount of teeth or gums than the celebrity when smiling, how do you still duplicate that celebrity’s smile?

In many of your advertisements you show young women, such as Jennifer Vasquez, who already have nice looking teeth with the exception of discoloration. Wouldn’t be more economical for them to get over the counter bleaching products to lighten their teeth than to eat soft foods such as mash potatoes and yogurt on a wedding night as in Jennifer Vasquez case?

In some of the pictures you advertise you can see holes in the areas of the back teeth. How can a patient tolerate wearing the appliance when the only contact they have with the opposing arch is on the acrylic covering the backs of the front teeth?

In some of your advertisements you claim that you can make crooked teeth look straight. If a patient has one tooth that is tilting inwards, covering it and building it out to make it appear in line with the other teeth is understandable, but what do you do when the front tooth sticks out?

You also show that your appliance can cover chipped teeth the same way as straitening out a tilted inward tooth. Since Snap on Smile appliance costs $1,500, wouldn’t be more economical to bond the chipped tooth or to build the tilted inward tooth out with a permanent crown?

If the patient’s teeth have big contours, the model produced from the impression must be prepared prior to the construction of the appliance. This must be done with the use of a surveyor, which today most dental technicians and dentists don’t know how to use. What do you do when the appliance does not seat in the patients mouth or is so tight that makes the appliance to painful for the patient to wear?

The following patient comments appear on one of your own advertisements on YouTube.

I have them. Cost me $1,500. They are molded plastic, painful because is really tight, you cannot speak at all, you cannot eat anything with them, they did 3 impressions to get it right none worked. They look very unnatural and gigantic, just ridiculous. I want my money back!


I want him to show someone talking and eating with the snap on smile, is impossible! He is a really nice dentist with a great idea, is just not ready for the market yet, because is useless, mine is in the drawer for almost a year with no use. I know he will have lots of patients complaining. I will upload my video with them so u can see what I am talking about!

I am glad I am not the only one to have issues.

I totally agree with ilianexy. I got the upper unit last year- the teeth are extremely bulky. They make you look like Fire Marshall Bill (Jim Carey's character on in Living Color). I was hoping that this would be a good option but- they have many more kinks to work out.

Don't waste your money, I wasted $2,700 for upper and lower. I look like Mr. Ed, can't speak correctly (like Mr. Ed with a bit in his mouth), are uncomfortable and feel like you have a mouth full of plastic play teeth.
As usual, advertising that doesn't come through on the promise

Don’t waste your money! I got mine today and I almost cried! They look so fake and they are so bulky and i paid 800.00 for a fake piece of plastic! This Is a big rip off!

How can you stand behind the following statement, “Snap-On Smile appliance wearers and their dentists are extremely happy with the results” since the patients on your own advertisements can’t say anything positive about the appliance?

Tometalk

• Reply

• By lookingglass
• Posted January 6, 2009 at 8:25 am
• Report post

Dear BPflughaupt
I looked at the sight you provided on your previous post.
http://www.trybeautytips.com/2008/08/27/the-snap-on-smile.html#comments.
The patient in the picture shows nicer teeth in the before picture than the after picture. Instead of spending $1,5000 on the Snap-On Smile appliance I would have the one tooth in front that is a little shorter than the one next to it corrected permanently. Over all the patients own teeth look better than the Snap-On Smile appliance. The only flaw is with one tooth.
lookinglass

• Reply

Add to the discussion