Gummy Smile Reduction / Repair In One Hour

Before and After photos tell the story of Gummy smile repair and reduction in just one hour.  The after photo was taken immediately after the procedure.  This type of procedure is life-changing.  See our other posts for details on laser gum lift procedure and lip repositioning surgery. 

Lip Repositioning In An Hour

These photos were taken before and immediately after lip repositioning surgery and laser gum lift.  Notice the beautiful fullness of the upper lip, as well as covering of the upper gum tissue.  What a joy for our patient to discover the full glamorous teeth hidden for so many years!

Jacobs Deprogrammer

Introducing the most effective dental appliance we have found for headache and TMJ relief: the Jacobs Deprogrammer.  This is a very light, easy to wear, comfortable appliance.  It is custom fit exclusively for the patients of the Jacobs Smile Center, in Escanaba, Michigan. If you have any questions about jaw joint problems, headaches, clenching, or sleep apnea, feel free to call us and see if the Jacobs Deprogrammer is for you.

Diode Laser - Oral Magic Marker

In developing my novel Reversible Trial Lip Repositioning procedure, it was apparent that I needed a way to mark the surgical site that was reproducible.  The common method of marking oral tissue is with an indelible marker, but the marks are large, they run quickly, and they don't last long.  The predictability of Lip Repositioning rests on being able to capture the surgical site with precision and to reproduce that captured area for  up to a two day period.

My solution was to incorporate a diode laser used on a low setting to mark a "dotted line" on the oral tissues.  These marks are very superficial, and they dissolve within a couple of days without any discomfort or long-lasting evidence.

The diode laser has many practical applications for temporarily marking proposed surgical locations in the mouth.  Again, necessity is the mother of invention!

Practice Mojo

My good friend and mentor Jim Rhode told me, "you need to look at this Practice Mojo (PM) program for your office."  He couldn't have been more right.  Practice Mojo automates our appointment confirmations, reminds our patients about their need for followup appointments and tells them when they are past due for ther cleanings.  It also allows patients we have seen to complete a survey about their experience in our office.

PM also tells our office about how well we are managing our recare schedule and gives us demographic information about our patients.  It allows us to send specialized messages to our patients through email, text messages, or customized message postcards.

Our experience with this program since inception has been excellent.  The first thing we noticed was the appreciation from our patients about enhanced communication.  Almost daily, we have a patient call us and tell us that they are surprised and impressed that we have sent them a text message to remind them of their appointment.  They actually take the time to call and tell us they are impressed!

Another patient called to let us know that the postcard we sent was "a cut above the other junk you get in the mail."

The surveys we have received to date have been 100%.  Now I know that it's not possible to have that track record continually, but it has been a great team encouragement to date.  The comments patients add to their surveys have been glowing.  Remarkably, the dental TEAM has been mentioned in nearly all of the comments.

Thanks Jim Rhode for a great recommendation.  Our patients and all of us here at the Jacobs Smile Center are encouraged by this new technology!

AACD Washington DC Lip Repositioning Lecture

Program attendees at the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry in Washington DC can click on the following link to view the powerpoint slides for Dr. Jacobs seminar.

Gummy Smile Repair With Lip Repositioning Surgery

Dr. Jacobs speaks on Thursday, May 3, 2012 in the Member Pearls section located adjacent to the Operatory of the Future in the Exhibit Hall.

Lip Repositioning / Gummy Smile Seminar

Paula and I had an enjoyable visit with our son and daughter-in-law recently while in Chapel Hill, NC.  I spoke at the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry on the subject of Lip Repositioning and management of a gummy smile.  It was enjoyable to share my novel technique of Reversible - Trial Lip Repositioning Surgery with a group of Oral Surgeons, Periodontists, and Prosthodontists. 

My next presentation on Lip Repositioning Surgery will be in Washington, DC at the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry Annual Session. 

Bryan and I are excited to see the next couple of issues of The Journal Of Periodontics And Restorative Dentistry.  Our article on Lip Repositioning has been accepted for publication there, and it will present a case series of patients I treated with my technique of the Reversible - Trial Lip Repositioning Surgery.