Bioesthetics

This word was first used by Dr. Robert Lee in the 1970’s when he was engaged in studying the mouths of older people who had no evidence of breakdown or deterioration in any of the components of their chewing systems.  Bioesthetics refers to the elegance of natural design inherent in the architecture of the mouth. 

He defined it as “the study or theory of the beauty of living things in their natural forms and functions.”  The results of his studies were ground breaking to say the least.  He discovered that in mouths that stayed healthy for a lifetime there were always three bio-mechanical principles at work:

• Incisal guidance
• Jaw – joint stability
• Proper/natural form

These “bioesthetic principles” represented the reason why some people’s mouths stood up to the test of time, whereas others did not.

Moreover, he found that when he restored a broken down mouth in a way that put these principles into place, the mouth became self-protective.

There are many early warning signs of this kind of deterioration.  Things like recession of gums, loss of bone support around the roots of teeth, cracked and breaking teeth, and tooth wear are some of the more common signs that many dental professionals will dismiss as simply normal signs of aging.  Dr. Lee’s research proved that this is not so.

It is disappointing to invest time and money into treatment only to have it wear out before it should. Typically, dentistry has used worn down teeth as a model to match sizes for restorations. This causes the dental work to look unnatural and most importantly, doesn’t allow for natural function.  When teeth and the bite are restored to the three principles of a healthy chewing system, not only is good function restored, but the teeth and the face look young, healthy and vital.

By following this process we can Return the Elegance of Nature’s Design to the Mouth.

Dr. Lee’s principles and teachings are taught today by a school called The Foundation for Bioesthetic Dentistry (OBI).  This training uses a systems approach to diagnosing and treating degenerative diseases of the mouth.  They recognize that a system such as the dental-facial chewing system cannot be completely understood by analysis of its parts, but only within the context of the larger whole.

Clients who are interested in finding out more on Bioesthetic Dentistry, are encouraged to call the team at Living Wellness Dental in Calgary AB. Living Wellness Dental is here to assist with a wide range of holistic and biocompatible treatments. Book an appointment online here.

The OBI  Foundation website can be found at www.bioesthetics.com