Bite Disorders and Full Body Pain
Among the many reasons we practice a holistic approach to treating patients is that science has illuminated the connection between bite problems or disorders of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and full body pain.
Chronic Pain: Its All Connected
We often refer patients to a video on the subject of bite problems and pain created by one of his West Coast colleagues who also specializes in treating such disorders as TMJ and sleep apnea.
Fancifully titled Posture for Dummies, the video, which is shared on this page, outlines the connection between jaw function, head and shoulder rotation, back and spine positioning, hip alignment, and knee, ankle and foot strength.
In short, if your bite is off or your jaw is misaligned, the physical impact on your body can reverberate from your head all the way down to your toes. That means an uneven bite can be associated with such discomfort or spasms in the:
- Head
- Neck
- Shoulders
- Back
- Hips
- Knees
- Ankles
- Feet
In addition to jaw and bite disorders causing full-body pain, a misalignment issue with any part of the body below the jaw can ascend up the legs and back to negatively affect the jaw.
Whats most fascinating is that this full-body connectedness presents an opportunity for holistic dentists such as ours, at DC Smiles, to treat posture issues by treating bite and jaw problems.
Holistic Dentistry and Chronic Pain
As a holistic dentist and dental educator with a comprehensive understanding of neuromuscular dentistry, our doctors can evaluate a patients systemic health and enlist other specialists who treat chronic pain as it might be associated with bite disorders or disorders of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).