Dr. Michael Darveniza PhD, MDSc (Qld), FRACDS
PROSTHODONTIST
“Specialising in crowns, bridges & implants”
www.yourdentalspecialistlismore.com.au
YOUR DENTAL SPECIALIST LISMORE
Specialist Prosthodontic Services
Michael graduated with a Bachelor of Dental Science degree at the University of Queensland before entering private practice as a General Dentist at Port Macquarie and then Rockhampton. He then returned to the University of Queensland as a Lecturer in Restorative Dentistry while completing a Master's degree of Dental Science in Prosthodontics with Dr. Bruce Junner as supervisor. After further study he was awarded a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons, FRACDS. Michael was awarded an inaugural Doctor of Philosophy, PhD, in the field of Restorative Dentistry. His supervisor was Professor John Meek, from Civil Engineering at the University of Queensland. This engineering supervisor was required to orchestrate the mechanical testing of cemented dental crowns in a tensiometer and in a fatigue testing machine which simulated millions of chewing cycles. To further extend his knowledge base Michael attended for 3 months, as a Visiting Scholar on sabbatical leave, major dental institutions in Europe, United Kingdom and USA. This was followed by a six month stay at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, to perform a clinical research project supervised by Dr. Joe Clayton, on the Pantronic computerized jaw movement device and be instructed on occlusal (bite) reconstruction clinical techniques.
After eleven years as a full time Lecturer, Michael entered full time private practice as a registered Prosthodontist in Brisbane city. In 2000, he began a monthly consultative Prosthodontic practice in Lismore. After selling the city practice in 2017, Michael relocated to northern NSW and continues a restricted Prosthodontic practice, part-time, in the rooms of Dr. Nav Kur and Dr. Tony Trigger at Brunswick House, 42 Uralba Street, Lismore.
Prosthodontic Services
As a dentist and registered specialist Prosthodontist Michael’s specialty involves aesthetically restoring compromised teeth with fillings, composite resin overlays, porcelain veneers and crowns and where required plastic and gold post-cores. As well, replacing missing teeth with fixed prostheses including bridges and implant crowns involving implant surgery and All-on-4 Implant dentures.
He is uniquely involved in Fixed-Removable All-on-4 HYGIENIC implant dentures using Swedish titanium abutments with Techno Med Nylon Sleeves for frictional retention of a titanium reinforced Zirconia denture. These dentures have highly aesthetic pink zirconia and white zirconia teeth in a one milled piece of zirconia and the resultant denture is totally rigid during eating and patient removeable by hand for cleaning!
Removable prostheses such as partial dentures and full dentures are occasionally fabricated but are usually referred to a Denture Prosthetist.
Occuso-Prosthodontics Services- Management of the OCCLUSION and TMJ Disorders
Dr. Darveniza is involved in treating patients with bite and jaw joint issues using Occluso- Prosthodontic services. The study of the human bite entails the subject of occlusion. Occlusion is subdivided into four bites namely, hinge, left, right and forward bites and these must be balanced, guided and protected as illustrated below in my ADJ Paper 2001 on Full Occlusal Protection number 14. The Temporomandibular Jaw Joint (TMJ) are the jaw joints located adjacent to the ears. Patients who have a disorder of the TMJs are referred to as having a TMD (Temporomandibular Disorder).
TMD patients can have the following sign and symptoms: Primary concerns are painful jaw joints and facial muscles (Masseter and Temporalis), joint noises such as clicking, popping, grating and clunking, restricted mouth opening and jaw locking. Secondary symptoms are swollen or oedematous face over the masseter muscles, tinnitus or ringing in the ears, partial hearing loss, shoulder pain, pain behind the eyes, headaches in the temporal region and forehead, neck pain, misdiagnosed sinus pains and resultant mental health issues such as a cluster starting with loss of concentration, short term memory loss and then followed by depression.
TMJ or TMD patients mostly require an Occlusal Splint (plastic and fitting usually over the top teeth) to wear at night to rectify their displaced or jammed or locked TMJ discs. My splints are called "Fully Protective Occlusal Splints" and are designed in a colour, thick to relax facial muscles and bio-designed to create 4 protective bites. The splint requires 4 adjustments over a 4 month period to allow the jaw joints, discs and muscle facial lengths to re-centre after being displaced. The design of these Protective splints or colloquially called Darvo splints is found in my 3 part paper of 2022 found below under published papers 16, 17 and 18 involving 200 TMD patients.
SPECIAL FIELDS OF INTEREST
My 2 fields of special interest are:
1. Management of TMJ disorder patients using the philosophy of "Full Occlusal Therapy" involves splint therapy, occlusal equilibration (spot grinding at slow speeds) and bio-designing molar or anterior guidance to guide the jaw in a protective manner sideways and forward. This philosophy is illustrated below in the 2022, 2023 and 2024 papers 16 to 21 involving 200 TMD patients.
2. Rebuilding damaged dentitions with FIXED PROSTHESES with multiple restorations, where required, including resin overlays, porcelain veneers, crowns, bridges, implant crowns and All-on-4 implant dentures. This is called an Occlusal Reconstruction of the bite (sometimes referred to as Full Mouth Rehabilitation) at an increased vertical dimension (facial height) for patients with unprotected bites, worn down dentition and patients with a TMJ Disorder involving previous joint pain and facial headaches associated with unprotected bites. This philosophy is illustrated below in the 2001 paper number 14 titled “Full occlusal protection – theory and practice of occlusal therapy”.
Mission Statement
“As a dedicated experienced clinician my goal is to listen intently to patient’s concerns, issues and their dental requirements. My examination involves a tactile appreciation of their symptoms and a visual inspection of their immediate dental concerns. Dental problems that confront me I find a challenge to solve. My approach involves addressing patient’s emotional requirements followed by my knowledge in engineering, design, material science and aesthetic dental science to problem solve in a holistic manner. The fundamental requirements of conservative management are mandatory to conserve tooth structure, wherever possible, and to find the easiest and least expensive solution while not compromising longevity of dental restorations and prostheses. In every instance creating a dental environment to minimise pain during dental procedures is paramount. I look forward to helping you with your dental treatment to get the very best results performed in a light and cheerful manner.”
Yours sincerely,
Michael Darveniza
SURF ABU DHABI
March 2025