UK Dentistry gives Northern Ky. woman a happy, healthy smile
In 2014, Claire Fussinger made her first appointment with UK Dentistry’s DMD Student Clinic after receiving a recommendation from a close friend.
Little did she know, this visit to take care of a few general dentistry issues would be the beginning of her journey to a transformed smile.
“I was impressed with the care and attention the students gave me,” Fussinger said.
After student dentists corrected several decaying problem areas, Fussinger decided to move forward to address the aesthetics of her smile. The next step in her treatment was a visit to Dr. Tom Kluemper in orthodontics.
Fixing an edge-to-edge bite
Kluemper and his team examined Fussinger’s teeth and explained to her that she had an edge-to-edge bite, meaning that the front teeth of her upper and lower jaws met directly when biting down. This type of misalignment causes significant trauma due to excessive force on the teeth. Patients with an edge-to-edge bite are more prone to have cracked teeth, premature wear, increased sensitivity and the need for root canal treatment. In addition, Fussinger’s upper teeth were not visible when smiling.
Kluemper developed an orthodontic plan to improve her bite, and after only 18 months of treatment Fussinger’s teeth no longer met edge-to-edge.
‘I love to smile’
The next step in her journey to an improved smile brought her to Dr. Rodrigo Fuentealba for prosthodontic restorations. After taking impressions and bleaching, Fuentealba worked with Dr. Allison Wright to alternate between placing crowns and oral surgery work.
“She’s a wonder, and he’s a true artist and a genius of a dentist,” Fussinger said of the pair.
Now, she beams with confidence. Fussinger, a Northern Kentucky resident, says that she has driven to Lexington too many times to count in order to get what she calls the “best dental care ever.” She says that she would recommend UK Dentistry to anyone.
“I don’t trust anyone else to work on my teeth,” Fussinger said, “I love to smile now knowing my smile is awesome.”
