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Functional Jaw Orthopedics
What is it?


Orthodontic Treatment & Solution for TMJ Dysfunction

One of our patients

Various studies indicate that some signs or symptoms of TMJ are present in 30% to 60% of orthodontic patients prior to treatment. It has been estimated the 70% of children in the mixed dentition have some form of malocclusion. Studies show that 90% of the face is developed by age 12, so it is important that orthopedic and orthodontic problems be treated early in order to guide the growth of our younger patients. I find parents are very receptive to early treatment so that problems can be solved earlier before they become more serious and perhaps more expensive later on.

Functional orthopedics in terms of dentistry means treating the jaw posture, tooth relationship, muscle relationship and head and neck posture as a whole system. When evaluating each patient the upper and lower dental arch development is examined to see if they are too narrow and constricted, if there are any airway breathing problems, tongue posturing problems, tooth positioning problems, jaw posturing problems and/ or any head and neck problems.

The patient must decide what philosophy and approach they would like to be treated under. The choice is yours. Traditional orthodontics verses Functional Orthopedic/ orthodontics.

Another Dr. Gulak patient
 

Traditional or retractive (headgear) orthodontics, looks at straightening teeth for esthetics and appearance and assumes that the facial muscles and jaw joints will accommodate to their new position. Teeth are considered for removal if there is insufficient space to align the teeth. Making the teeth look straight is often the only concern. Narrow and constricted arches will often result, not considering the impact it has on the airway (breathing) of the individual, the head and neck problems that often result and the often ignored jaw joint position.

Traditional orthodontics treats problems of receding lower jaws by one or two ways: 1)surgically moving them forward or 2)by the use of headgear and bicuspid removal. This does not consistently provide the patient with joint stability and can aggravate jaw joint problems. Joint stability is a just one issue that is a concern to our office.

Those patients that have been treated by traditional orthodontic techniques have complained of having problems such as:
high vaulted palates that cause breathing problems
under developed dental arch forms
gum recession and/or gum line enamel fracturing
teeth moving after retainers come off
or continual use of retainers
teeth not meshing together properly
improper vertical position
as well as developing TMJ symptoms with persistent head and neck problem

Functional orthopedic orthodontics emphasizes how the muscles, jaw joints and teeth affect one another. A proper meshing of the teeth to function in harmony with the jaw joints and muscles will allow the teeth to wear and function evenly, be stable and decrease any trauma to the surrounding supporting bone. Narrow dental arch forms are properly developed to a full contour enhancing breathing and appearance. The "functional jaw orthopedic approach" is a very important approach that will help you achieve your goals of an improved profile and facial appearance, as well as the establishment of a proper joint position that ensures optimum TMJ health, appearance and comfort.

With the use of dental appliances, a proper tongue and jaw position is created to eliminate negative forces on the teeth. Our functional orthopedic orthodontic treatment involves aligning the upper and lower arches by use of appliance therapy, and then aligning the individual teeth via the use of braces. The long-term results of this combined type of treatment, as opposed to using only standard braces, tend to be more esthetically pleasing, stable, and shortens treatment time. Crowded teeth with seemingly little space should certainly be properly evaluated to prevent permanent tooth extractions.

The combination of these two phases of treatment ensures beautiful faces, full lips, straight teeth and outstanding profiles, principal components that all the leading clinicians of functional jaw orthopedics are teaching.

State of the art, Computerized Diagnostics, Functional Jaw Scans, and a Cephalometric Archial Analysis are all used before beginning the treatment:
to determine the proper jaw position
to determine an optimal muscle length, function and comfort
to identify a correct treatment end-point for proper tooth positioning.

We partner with one of the leaders in orthodontics:  

Damon System Braces
The Damon System is not just a new product, it's a whole new way of treating patients. Conventional treatment often requires removal of healthy teeth and/or the use of palatal expanders to make space. This approach is often uncomfortable, takes longer, and can leave a narrower arch and a flat profile. Damon smiles are full, natural 10-tooth smiles achieved with light biologically-sensible forces, and are specifically designed to improve the overall facial result of each patient.
You may want to watch this Damon informative video.

 

Once again we're investing in technology so we can treat our patients with state-of-the-art equipment for the "gold standard" of care.

Hudson Valley Neuromuscular Dentistry
Dr. Joseph Gulak, DDS
419 East Main Street
#302 Wisner Professional Building
Middletown, NY 10940
845-343-6231

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