Kauai lecture

Congratulations to Dr.Do for giving an insightful lecture for an Orthodontic Association meeting on Kauai this week. She detailed the signs and symptoms of a Class II malocclusion, temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) in children and adults.

Most orthodontic protocols require extractions of 2 or more teeth prior to starting treatment. However, the problem is nearly always that the upper and lower jaws have not developed or were not guided to develop correctly starting from a young age. By extracting teeth and contracting the remaining teeth in the upper and lower jaws, future problems will arise including TMJ disorder, facial muscle pain, and even a reduced airway. The following image shows how two identical twins matured differently. The girl on the left had 4 teeth extracted while the girl on the right had her jaws guided to develop correctly without surgery.

 

The Temporomandibular joint(TMJ) is the only joint in the human body that is designed to dislocate which in use. Any noises in the TMJ or deviation of the jaw on opening is an indication that the joint is not functioning correctly. A portion of cartilage known as the "disc" provides a cushion between the jaw bone and skull when opening. If the disc is not positioned correctly, shifting or a "click"/"pop" noise will occur. This can lead to future problems such as having a jaw stuck open or closed, or even arthritis in the TMJ. Eventually a cascade effect will occur when teeth may start to crack, or facial/neck muscles will start to produce pain. A proper diagnosis of the condition includes impressions and models, imaging, photos, and possibly and MRI to determine the extent of damage to the TMJ.

As if losing a tooth or teeth weren't bad enough, now a study found a connection between cardiovascular disease and the loss of a tooth. There already are numerous studies that find a link between periodontal(gum) disease and an increase in cardiovascular disease, so this appears to reinforce that discovery. Proper home care and regular dental visits are the cornerstone to maintaining great oral health. 

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321302.php