Examine Dr. Marc Liechtung’s comment on a Snap on Smile site medical.preferredconsumer.com/cosmetic_surgery/aesthetic_trends/snap_on_tee th.html talks about Snap-on-smile vs. Dentures and states that “Snap-on Smile serves both functional and aesthetic purposes and can also be used in lieu of dentures. Like dentures, the appliance is removable. However, Snap-on Smile is more accurate and less bulky. Unlike dentures, patients can transform their entire smile while still maintaining their existing teeth because the snap-on teeth are simply placed over the originals. Dentures only replace the missing teeth, and the appearance of the remaining teeth remains unchanged.” What is he trying to say? There are no remaining teeth with a full denture.
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What is happening in dentistry?
- By Cybercorrespondent
- Posted September 10, 2008 at 12:22 pm · 13 replies
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- By Cybercorrespondent
- Posted September 11, 2008 at 12:54 pm
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Examine this website “Snap on Teeth - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community” and you will find Dr. Liechtung’s explanation. It appeared on this URL, http://www.ncbuy.com/news/2004-11-26/1011179.html on 11/26/ 2004
Today marks the beginning of Christmas shopping season, and -- surprisingly -- a lot of people will be in the market for false teeth. Dentists who make the relatively-new Snap on Teeth are expecting to have patients chomping at the bit to get them for the holidays.
Manhattan dentist Marc Liechtung is one of the few doctors who make Snap on Teeth and says the typical customer uses the clip-on choppers to hide nasty, stained or worn-down-to-the-nub teeth.
Unlike a full plate of dentures, you don't have to get your real teeth pulled in order to make room for the snap ons, which fit over the teeth.
Dr. Liechtung makes a dental impression of existing teeth to create a prosthetic model that snaps onto the back teeth and can be removed at any time.
He says the $3000 process is easier and more economical than the other tooth-covering option -- getting a full mouth of veneers for about $30,000.
The following is Distinctive’s comment on 11/26/ 2004
________________________________________
If you have to get your teeth pulled, your teeth are probably in bad shape and putting snap on teeth over them can cause infections or other problems. Also, since the snap on teeth can brake while eating baby food, it doesn’t make sense to place them over decaying teeth unless you are on a liquid diet. If your teeth are that bad, you’re better off going to a good dentist, saving the teeth that can be saved and getting a partial denture that you can use for looks and function.
Cybercorrespondent
- By Darrell3
- Posted September 12, 2008 at 10:48 am
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Nice job, Cybercorrespondent. Darrell K. Pruitt DDS
- By Cybercorrespondent
- Posted September 13, 2008 at 1:50 pm
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We are in a time when public’s trust in the mainstream media is at an all time low. The public is beginning to view journalism with a critical eye and are beginning to label journalists as conscious propagandists who will do anything to push their political agendas. Today’s journalists are also starting to become lazy. As soon as a story pops up by a competitor, rather than finding sources to back up the information, the media outlets form packs and report the story without backing up the information. I did some investigating about the snap on teeth appliance and came to the conclusion that the media by publicizing the appliance caused other dentists to jump aboard to cash in on its popularity.
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- By Cybercorrespondent
- Posted September 18, 2008 at 12:00 pm
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I have been contacted by Distinctive to respond to a post made by Gum Goddess on the web site “Snap On Smile to Increase Vertical Dimension? | DDSGadget Dental” Her comment was directed at Distinctive and when she tried to reply, the moderators of the website did not allow her to:
Gum Goddess on September 17th, 2008 10:12 pm
I have been a dental hygienist for 20+ years and I will tell you that I have seen the Snap on Smile appliance transform patient’s lives. Is it the ultimate treatment? In most cases, no. The permanent work would be the optimum.
However, when a patient has financial issues and has to chose between proceeding with upwards of a $5,000 restorative case or doing nothing, this is a beautiful and more affordable option. The appliance actually helps the patient move forward with the final restorative case because when they see how great their smile can look, they want it to be permanent.
There are also people who are medically compromised who have benefitted greatly from this, as well as severely dental phobic patients who refused all previous recommended treatment because they went into a sweat at the thought of having an injection.
It is NOT recommended for severely periodontally involved patients and no ethical dentist would place this over decayed teeth. If disease is involved, that needs to be addressed first.
It’s sort of like a padded bra. It enhances your appearance, but if you’re sagging underneath, it isn’t going to correct that, yet is isn’t going to hurt it either (but you still have to shower!). It makes you feel better, more confident when you think you look good. It is a short or long-term temporary cosmetic fix. And most importantly, it makes the patient wearing it happy.
Instead of knocking something you really don’t know anything about first hand, go to the source instead of making comments based solely on your opinion or someone else’s opinion that you’ve read. There are a lot of people out there ready to drag a good idea or product down because of their ignorance. Talk to people in the profession who are using it and find out from them the facts.
I’m sure they will be at the Greater NY Dental meeting in Nov. Go to their booth and check it out for yourself. (My question, why does the dental industry still support this product?)
Dearest Gum Goddess.
In response to-“I have been a dental hygienist for 20+ years and I will tell you that I have seen the Snapon Smile appliance transform patient’s lives. “Do you work for him now? Here are comments from the people whose lives he transformed. The comments are from his video clip on You Tube:
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!
coachj57 (2 weeks ago) Show Hide
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.
rashidakelleyjohnson (1 month ago) Show Hide
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.
coachj57 (2 weeks ago) Show Hide
I am glad I am not the only one to have issues.
blockbyblock (1 month ago) Show Hide
ok,,,,, ok.... ur ridiculous!
ilianexy (2 months ago) Show Hide
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 uplaoad my video with them so u can see what I am talking about!
ilianexy (2 months ago) Show Hide
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!
fashionplus07 (3 months ago) Show Hide
Your next statement “However, when a patient has financial issues and has to chose between proceeding with upwards of a $5,000 restorative case or doing nothing,” can be best answered by a person whose life he transformed. “ 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.
Distinctive
- By Darrell3
- Posted September 19, 2008 at 10:38 am
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How do Snap-on teeth affect patients with a predisposition to TMJ problems? Sounds like a lawsuit to me.
- By Cybercorrespondent
- Posted September 19, 2008 at 11:43 am
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I presented your question to Distinctive and here is her reply:
If a patient has a normal overbite and overjet, and the vertical is not opened on the posteriors, the patient will have contact only on the backs of the front teeth. If the bite is opened by overlaying the posteriors, 2mm thickness of plastic is not enough for strength. If the vertical is opened more than that and a younger patient had not lost vertical dimension, the opening can cause TMJ problems. Now with some of the snap on teeth appliances that are advertised, you can see holes in the posterior areas of the appliance. In that case, wearing such an appliance with the only contact being on the backs of the front teeth, I don’t know if that could cause TMJ problems but it can be more than irritating to the patient.
Distinctive
My personal question about the appliance is, “Why is the dental industry supporting such a product? I know that many good dentists are outraged by what is taking place, except that no one else except you doctor had voiced their opinion. How many good dentists are out there?”
Cybercorrespondent
- By Darrell3
- Posted September 19, 2008 at 12:10 pm
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You are to be commended, Cybercorrespondent, for pursuing this issue so that others can be better informed about dental care.
It sounds to me like Distinctive is actually a dentist or someone very familiar with the profession. In fact, the person sounds knowledgeable enough to justify a more knowledgeable reply than I am perhaps capable of providing.
I feel certain that we have several dentists following this thread, and I would encourage someone who has academic-level knowledge of TMJ disorders, and who also communicates well with patients, to respond to “Distinctive’s” defense of snap-on teeth.
And since we are trying to engage busy professionals in our discussion, I would recommend that we all use our given names instead of pseudonyms. It makes the effort more credible and worthwhile.
Darrell K. Pruitt DDS
- By Cybercorrespondent
- Posted September 19, 2008 at 1:02 pm
- Report post
The truth to the matter is that Distinctive is not defending this product, only exposing it for what it is. Without pseudonyms this conversation would have never got started and I know for a fact that Distinctive is not willing to let her true identity be known. She had nothing to gain by participating in this and other forums and think she already has made her final comments. I too must proceed with other topics but encourage everyone else to continue with what was started.
Cybercorrespondent
- By Cybercorrespondent
- Posted September 21, 2008 at 1:37 pm
- Report post
The following is a desperate patient’s request.
This is all crazy. I’m a heart patient. I can’t even have my teeth cleaned without taking antibiotics. Two teeth need to be pulled or cut out. They are both rotten. No dentist will touch me because I’m a heart patient. If I die from extracting my teeth, then it might be viewed that they killed me. If the teeth don’t get taken out, the infection will kill me. I am currently on antibiotics to help me with the infections. Can someone please help me?
Please send me a reply and I will pass it on to the patient.
Cybercorrespondent
- By Cybercorrespondent
- Posted September 23, 2008 at 9:12 am
- Report post
I have also had a member from an online dental publication present the desperate patient’s cry for help, which originally appeared on “msn.com/Healthboard/thread” - Health & Fitness - Digestive Health - Snap on celebrity teeth, to its 100,000 registered members. Unfortunately, after about one hour, his post had been removed. Can anyone figure out why?
Cybercorrespondent
- By BPflughaupt
- Posted December 26, 2008 at 1:01 pm
- Report post
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 or her 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, provided by a skilled dentist, 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. The few instances you mention are opposed to the thousands of patients and dentists who have expressed delight with the results of their Snap-On Smiles. If you would like further or more detailed information, please talk with one of our specialists at 877-7-snapon or contact us at http://snaponsmile.com/contact-us .
Thanks for providing a forum to discuss the newest long and short-term options for many clinical challenges people face, especially with limited budgets.
Barbara Pflughaupt
- By missmatic
- Posted December 27, 2008 at 2:05 pm
- Report post
This is in response to the heart condition patient who cannot find a dentist who is not more concerned with a fantasized lawsuit than the health of another human being. The person might try going to a dental clinic associated with a nursing facility, hospital or other service provider for the disabled. They are used to dealing with patients with medical issues affecting their teeth and gums.
Filing a grievance with their regional dental society is an option but not something that will resolve the problem of access to dental care and may even jeapardize it more. There's also the risk of encountering more discrimination if the pack mentality prevails there, as is often the case. Dentists who engage in what used to be considered unethical, unprofessional behavior are more often than not, members in good standing and possibly even past or present officers. The societies have an interest in protecting their members above all, and in minimizing any perception of neglect associated with medical harm by any of them. I suppose it's the reason they have a lawyer on their board. Everyone knows that untreated dental infections are a direct risk to the heart. Dentists who refuse to treat them know that.
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