Do you clench or grind your teeth at night? Many do. Left untreated, teeth grinding may lead to jaw disorders, headaches, damaged teeth and other issues.

Otherwise known as bruxism, teeth grinding is often related to pain or instability in the musculoskeletal system. System imbalance can lead to a constant state of musculoskeletal tension as the body attempts to adapt and compensate for misalignments and/or pain. The longer the system has been adapting to a condition of imbalance, the more complex the resulting distortions.

The following imbalances create a cascade of symptoms that may include teeth grinding, clenching and bruxism:

• Increased muscle tension in the jaw
• Loss of cervical curve; increased forward head posture and increased tension in cervical musculature
• Sub occipital tension
• TMJ/CMD symptoms
• Decreased lumbar curve and/or increased lumbosacral disc angle
• Chronically unstable SI joint
• Forward or anterior hand position in standing posture
• Pain in feet and metatarsals, poor foot mechanics and/or collapse of arches
• Muscle tension and/or spasms

The art and science of holistic chiropractic treatment is learning how to read, understand and treat the reactions and compensations of the body. All cranial therapies work off of this premise.

In our clinics, we employ Sacro-Occipital Technique (S.O.T.), a therapy that targets adjusting patterns in the body rather than individual body parts alone. S.O.T. uses a system of categories and indicators to systematically reduce the stresses, reactions and compensations and can significantly reduce or eliminate clenching and bruxism.

Holistic treatment always aims at resolving imbalance, tension and pain and returning the patient to a state of true integrative health.

Call our office today to schedule an appointment to address the root causes of your tooth-grinding or clenching.

In Health and Happiness,

Dr. Richard Gerardo

D.C., C.S.C.P., D.A.C.B.N.

The post Bruxism – Teeth Grinding appeared first on Richard C. Gerardo, D.C., C.S.C.P..

Introduction to Orthotropic Remediation and the Importance of Nasal Breathing

Tenets of an orthotropic paradigm:

• The orthotropic objective aims to keep the growth of the maxilla (upper jaw) up and forward vs. down and back.
• Treatment of crooked teeth addresses the symptom rather than the cause, which explains the high rate of relapse in traditional orthodontia.
• Removing teeth actually hinders growth and development.
• Malocclusion is related to vertical growth instead of horizontal development.
• Cases should be initiated by eight years old as the maxilla fixes to the cranium between the ages of eight and nine.

Dr. Mew’s most important goal targets adjustment of the shape of the dental arch to restore a normal pattern of nasal breathing (eliminating mouth breathing).

Nasal breathing reestablishes a more protrusive mandibular (lower jaw) position, optimizing TMJ (temporomandibular joint) position and function. This readjustment works similarly to a cranial manipulation.

What happens during mouth breathing? The mechanics of the obligatory mouth breather are based on the compromise of the airway and associated musculature positioning in and around the mouth. When the mouth is open a significant part of the day and night for breathing, the tongue drops from its natural position inside the maxillary arch. This lingual drop results in a reduction in intraoral pressure, causing the dental arch to collapse inward, down, and back. The arch narrows, the palate elongates vertically, and the maxilla is restricted from expanding anteriorly and laterally. This maxillary restriction tightens sutures in the facial bones and causes tension to transmit through the cranium, resulting in postural changes and additional unwanted compensations throughout the musculoskeletal system.

Balanced breathing is achieved when inhalation and exhalation is performed through the nose with the lips sealed. In this position, the pressure coming from outside the teeth (lips & cheeks) matches the pressure from inside the teeth (tongue) and maintains an appropriate maxillary dental arch.

Coming full circle, it becomes clear that creating an oral environment in which normal nasal breathing is achieved and the ideal dental arch is maintained impacts development of appropriate dental structures, normalizes maxillary and mandibular growth patterns and creates a beautiful functional and aesthetic result—sans headgear!

Read our previous article with information on the causes of the Headgear Effect»

At Wholistic Chiropractic, we are happy to answer your questions. Call and find out what we can do for you.

In Health and Happiness,

Dr. Richard Gerardo

D.C., C.S.C.P., D.A.C.B.N.

The post The Headgear Effect – a Better Approach appeared first on Richard C. Gerardo, D.C., C.S.C.P..

Growth Pattern Distortions Related to Orthodontic Headgear Placement.

Simply put, traditional orthodontics is structured on the premise that there are too many teeth (or teeth that are too large) for the mouth. Protocol in traditional orthodontics recommends the extraction of four bicuspids to reduce crowding and make space so that teeth can then be pulled together and straightened. Braces and headgear are utilized to achieve this effect, creating posterior pressure on the remaining six front teeth, maxilla and cranium.

As everyone who went through a “brace face” period of adolescence knows all too well, the primary goal of traditional orthodontics is alleged to be an attractive smile with straight teeth, along with an improvement in facial aesthetics. What we don’t often hear about however, are aesthetic issues created by headgear.

Few dental patients understand the role headgear may play in the patterns of growth and development of the cranial facial structures, as well as the rest of the body. Let’s investigate a primary concern regarding headgear placement known as “Cranial Facial Distortion” (CFD).

CFD is a term that applies to the alteration in the growth and development of the facial structures and musculoskeletal system. Dentists have termed CFD growth distortion patterns related to the placement of head-gear as the “Headgear Effect” or HGE.

HGE describes the downward and backward growth of the oral facial structures. The forces applied when using head-gear restrict or distort the growth patterns of the upper jaw and result in the following:

• Arrestment of the normal growth pattern
• Restriction of the arch width of the upper jaw
• Inhibition of proper growth of the cranial facial structures

Growth and advancement of the lower jaw is often restricted as well, resulting in a narrowing and elongation of the face.

S.O.T. (Sacro-Occipital Technique) uses a system of categories and indicators to systematically reduce the stresses, reactions and compensations that contribute to and worsen effects of HGE. The imbalanced forces on the cranium and mandible can be addressed using S.O.T. to lessen the imbalance and to allow the system to undistort, stabilize and destimulate the whole body so that it will heal.

How might we address these issues? Read here for more info addressing the Headgear Effect»

At Wholistic Chiropractic, we are happy to address any concerns you may have. Call for an appointment and find out what we can do for you.

In Health and Happiness,

Dr. Richard Gerardo

D.C., C.S.C.P., D.A.C.B.N.

The post The Headgear Effect appeared first on Richard C. Gerardo, D.C., C.S.C.P..

Balancing the cranial-sacral system using SOT cranial therapy (a system of adjusting patterns in the body rather than focusing solely on individual body parts), along with chiropractic spinal therapy, myofascial treatment, foot mechanics, postural corrections, nutrition and exercise all play an integral role in analysis and treatment.

Properly diagnosing the root cause of the patient’s symptoms and correctly prioritizing treatment aimed at a reduction in the fight or flight response allows the nervous system to calm down and release out of sympathetic overload. With this release, muscle tension decreases and improves posture, allowing the patient to experience relief from symptoms and finally break the cycle of tension, instability and pain.

Keep in mind that jaw clenching, tooth grinding, headaches of any type and/or facial tension may be red flags indicating a TMJ issue. If you’re plagued by any of these common symptoms and have not found effective, long-lasting relief, a global chiropractic approach may be exactly what your body is asking for.

In Health and Happiness,

Dr. Richard Gerardo, D.C.  C.S.C.P. & D.A.C.B.N

View Part 1 of this series Holistic TMJ Treatment – Part 1

View Part 2 of this series Holistic TMJ Treatment – Part 2

TMJ Diagnosis and Treatment – Burbank and Thousand Oaks, CA.

The post Holistic TMJ Treatment – Part 3. TMJ Diagnosis appeared first on Richard C. Gerardo, D.C., C.S.C.P..