TMJ 'dysfunction' - Health implications

"The conventional view serves to protect us from the painful job of thinking." John Kenneth Galbraith

Every fragment of nature reflects the actions of the entire system, with the human body epitomizing a 'microcosm'—smaller in size but not in marvel or intricacy. Everything is interconnected.

This interconnectedness is the crucial, yet often overlooked, element in contemporary dentistry and medicine. Individuals grappling with various medical issues typically seek professional care. Whether it's a simple headache, backache, fatigue, or gastrointestinal distress, each symptom is treated in isolation, as though it exists independently. If their primary physician cannot address their symptoms, patients are referred to hospital specialists, who may conduct additional tests and examinations. These may involve blood tests, organ function tests, endoscopies, radiological imaging, CAT scans, or MRI scans. More often than not, these investigations reveal no abnormalities.

Consequently, the patient is discharged with symptomatic, presumptive medications, which frequently fail to provide relief and may even be detrimental. Patients often remain on such treatments for years, while the root cause of their issues persists and evolves into a chronic condition, accompanied by new symptoms or adverse events over time.

Clusters of symptoms are classified into syndromes and frequently deemed incurable. Common examples include IBS, ME, CFS, FM, and MS. Patients are often told to accept these lifelong conditions, joining the ranks of those suffering from chronic headaches, back pain, fatigue, or irritable bowel syndrome, with the notion that such afflictions are 'normal.'

However, some patients relentlessly seek a cure, continuously consulting medical professionals and risking the label of hypochondriacs. Physicians typically have a plethora of pills available for what they perceive as fabrications, and numerous off-label psychiatric medications are prescribed to alleviate pain, often leading to a descent into mental illness. Stress or psychological issues are frequently blamed, and psychotherapy or psychiatric evaluations can result in the extended use of various antipsychotic drugs.

Dr Thomas Sasz, a former psychiatrist, wrote in his book 'The manufacture of madness':

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx "Formerly when religion was strong and science weak, men mistook magic for medicine;
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Now, when science is strong and religion weak, men mistake medicine for magic."

The previously described situation is all too familiar, with millions of patients grappling with chronic lifelong illnesses. However, this fate is not inevitable. Many individuals, wary of the risks associated with antipsychotic medications, turn to alternative treatments. These alternatives span a broad spectrum, from homeopathy and herbal remedies to Ayurvedic practices and manipulative therapies. Despite the years some spend pursuing these options, genuine relief frequently remains unreachable.

Could it be possible that the answer lies in a totally different realm?

Four decades of experience in my field have revealed an undeniable connection between asymmetries of the head, jaw, teeth, and body, and the occurrence of various symptoms and ailments. I have termed this specialty:

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Cranio-facial Orthopaedics & Orthodontics©
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Cranio-mandibular and Skeletal Symmetry©

The consequences of a misaligned jaw are astonishing. Numerous cases illustrate this. For instance, some patients experience severe body-wide tremors, which neurologists typically attribute to lesions in the brain's descending neural pathways. Remarkably, these tremors vanish immediately once the jaw is corrected.

In other instances, patients suffer excruciating 'neuropathic' pain often linked to 'MS,' pain so intense that even morphine fails to provide relief. Yet, with symmetry treatment, these symptoms begin to fade within days of initiating the therapy.

THE SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT OF MOST SYMPTOMS AND ILLNESSES ARE EXTENSIVELY FEATURED IN THIS FORUM.

The significant reduction of symptoms through interventions aimed at achieving symmetry has led numerous medical and alternative practitioners to recognize the crucial role that normal jaw structure plays in reflecting healthy anatomy and physiology. Ethical, competent, and honest professionals, when unable to resolve a patient's issues, are now reconsidering potential jaw and tooth discrepancies and seeking additional consultations. It is essential for any healthcare provider to include jaw assessments in their differential diagnosis for virtually any health issue. In such cases, the expertise of a TMJ specialist is invaluable.

Persistently manipulating the neck and sacroiliac joint week after week, or continually prescribing painkillers, antipsychotics, and nutritional supplements without conducting a thorough symmetry evaluation, is exploitative. Our bodies possess remarkable self-healing abilities when the true root of the ailment is addressed.

In my quest for a genuine cure, rather than mere symptomatic relief, I have had to break away from traditional thinking. This journey has required immense courage, particularly in the face of resistance from outdated dental governing bodies opposed to new hypotheses. However, the significant alleviation of deeply entrenched symptoms experienced by many patients has fuelled my determination to explore my ideas with even greater vigor. These concepts and insights are shared with humility, acknowledging that new experiences and situations can quickly surpass today's best practices. Here, I present a brief introduction to the principles of Craniofacial symmetry and the health benefits it offers to individuals undergoing such treatments.

Cranio-dental and jaw asymmetries can disrupt overall body symmetry. Adverse interventions in the dental area, such as orthodontic extractions or the removal of wisdom teeth, can have far-reaching effects on various organ systems throughout the body.

In infancy, despite the presence of fontanelles—gaps between cranial bones—these bones often fail to realign properly. It is suggested here that the cause may be multifaceted, involving pollution from numerous atmospheric chemicals, the artificial introduction of nanoparticles into the air we breathe, a deficiency in essential vitamins and trace elements, and the consumption of genetically modified foods. These factors may collectively hinder the natural correction of cranial bones. This distortion leads to improper swallowing patterns, which subsequently result in orthopaedic abnormalities in the tooth arches, jaws, and temporomandibular joint. Moreover, the growth of the dental complex is further compromised by a diet dominated by soft foods that require minimal chewing.

The treatment strategies outlined here are designed to correct dental and jaw irregularities, ultimately aiming to achieve symmetry. Substantial evidence suggests that our bodies strive for symmetry to function at their best, much like a well-tuned machine where every gear and cog must align perfectly to operate efficiently.

Symmetry primarily manifests from the top down. When the head, jaws, and teeth are aligned symmetrically, the spine and hips usually follow suit. If not, the hips often become misaligned. As a result, hip surgeries have become nearly ubiquitous in older age. This widespread occurrence is due to a lifetime of hip asymmetry, which ultimately leads to hip failure. Over time, these descending asymmetries cause the arches of the feet to flatten, further exacerbating hip misalignment.

The trigeminal nerve, responsible for transmitting signals from the uneven jaws to the brain, triggers a cascade of neurological reactions in the muscles that connect the skull to the neck. This often results in pain and tension throughout the head, neck, and shoulders, as well as a rotation of the cervical vertebrae, especially the Atlas, which disrupts the hypoglossal nerve's function, leading to poor swallowing patterns and uneven development of the teeth and jaws.

In essence, the neck vertebrae adjust their rotation to counterbalance anterior jaw asymmetries. This adjustment impacts the nerves that extend from the neck to the arms, leading to discomfort and conditions such as tennis elbow and carpal tunnel syndrome. Additionally, cervical vertebral imbalances prompt compensatory asymmetries in the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae, which, in turn, cause hip misalignment and the commonly observed short leg phenomenon.

When aligning teeth, orthodontists often resort to extracting certain teeth "to create space", severely decreasing the size of jaws, which alters the weight-bearing of the head on the neck. This approach glaringly overlooks the profound influence that a correctly sized jaw exerts on the musculoskeletal, vascular, neurological, and organ systems throughout the body. My own professional experience, in healing many ailments, has led me to categorically reject many conventional orthodontic practices that involve extractions.

This crude and indiscriminate disruption of natural anatomy invariably exacerbates pre-existing bodily imbalances and accelerates the onset of various diseases. Even teeth that appear straight and jaws that seem symmetrical might be concealing significant issues when correctly tested for symmetry.

From an aesthetic standpoint, extracting teeth during treatment inevitably reduces the overall size of the jaw complex, compared to how it would naturally develop if allowed to accommodate all the original teeth. As we age, our nose and chin typically keep growing, but losing teeth through extraction negatively affects facial harmony. This concept is vividly demonstrated in the cephalometric tracings below, derived from the lateral skull radiographs of a patient who previously underwent orthodontic extractions' treatment.

An extreme case of extraction orthodontics in a 32-year-old female showing facial profile before and after re-treatment to bring about facial symmetry.

From an aesthetic perspective, the practice of tooth extraction during treatment invariably diminishes the jaw's overall dimensions, in contrast to its natural development if all original teeth were retained. As we grow older, our nose and chin generally continue to enlarge, but the loss of teeth through extraction orthodontics interrupts this growth, disrupting facial balance. This idea is strikingly illustrated in the cephalometric tracings taken from the radiographs of a patient who had previously experienced orthodontic extractions.

My work is based on the combined efforts of many outstanding clinicians, both present, and past. For instance, going back to the turn of the century, there were several non-extraction orthodontic schools of thought both in the USA and in Europe. In the USA, a Dr George Crozat DDS who developed an orthopaedic appliance, which is still in extensive use today, while in Germany, Dr Bimler with similar views produced a cephalometric analysis in 1945, for use with non-extraction techniques, which is in extensive use throughout the world to this day. In the UK we had the very eminent Dr John Mew who spent a lifetime arguing his case for non-extraction orthodontics. These eminent clinicians were at the time the pioneers but perhaps unaware of the phenomenal 'ripple' effect on the rest of the body.

Incorrect occlusion and jaw position directly affects the posture.

To improve the posture, dental and jaw orthodontic correction is the key.

Due to the underappreciation of this connection, countless individuals across the nation endure neck and back pain while only receiving treatment for their symptoms, not the underlying cause. Frequently, certain injuries, such as whiplash, fail to heal properly. In these instances, an acute secondary injury stemming from some accident, exacerbates the initial primary injury stemming from poor jaw alignment. Adjusting the jaw position leads to a swift alleviation of whiplash symptoms.

In medical terminology, the term 'syndrome' refers to a collection of signs and symptoms that collectively signal the presence of a disease or an abnormal condition, essentially admitting that the exact cause remains unknown. A case in point is Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). In the 1960s, a renowned medical researcher investigated the prevalence of bowel cancer among Europeans and Africans. He noted that Africans experienced lower rates of bowel cancer. He attributed this to their high fobre intake in their diets. However, he overlooked the fact that these Africans also possessed remarkable dental health, strong jaws, and an impeccable posture. This probably was their secret to avoiding bowel cancer.

From our experience, when treating patients with IBS, we do not recommend fibre intake, medication, dietary restrictions, or anti-candidal treatments. Remarkably, just a few days into our symmetry-based therapy, their IBS symptoms typically become a thing of the past.

Patients frequently receive prescriptions for antidepressants, with Prozac being particularly trendy, to manage "stress-related illnesses". Throughout human evolution, our ancestors faced the constant threat of being devoured by predators or attacked by other humans—a scenario fraught with the ultimate stress of impending death. Ironically, while we have adapted to survive such life-threatening dangers, the relatively mundane stresses of modern life often leave many individuals feeling overwhelmed and reliant on antidepressants for relief. Historically, before the introduction of modern soft food diets, people had very symmetrical jaws. Perhaps this accounts for their formidable powers of stress resistance.

Asymmetry in the body generates millions of afferent signals from muscle spindles and tendon organs, alerting the brain to the skeleton's misalignment. In response, the brain activates the muscles in an attempt to restore balance. However, the muscles fail to correct the asymmetry, creating a continuous cycle of signals between the brain and muscles, which leads to muscle fatigue. This ongoing loop places immense strain on the system, pushing it into a state of overload. When additional stressors, such as emotional stimuli, are introduced, the overburdened brain becomes incapable of functioning effectively.

This, coupled with poor oxygenation and poor cerebrospinal fluid flow, which is an inevitable accompaniment of jaw and neck asymmetry, also results in numerous psychological disorders e.g.: depression, panic attacks, insomnia etc. Modern medicine's answer is invariably drug therapy. Such palliative therapy must be considered dangerous and unethical.

This, along with inadequate oxygenation and impaired cerebrospinal fluid flow—inevitable consequences of jaw and neck asymmetry—leads to a host of psychological disorders such as depression, panic attacks, and insomnia. The standard response from modern medicine is almost always drug therapy. However, this form of palliative treatment should be viewed as both hazardous and unethical.

Medications or antipsychotics merely mask the warning signs that different parts of the body send out, postponing effective treatment as the root issue progressively deteriorates. Achieving symmetry diminishes the sensory input to the brain and lessens the overactivity of the neurological reflex arc, which in turn alleviates muscle fatigue. This frees up the brain to better handle everyday stressors, obviating the need for erratic antipsychotic medications.

Individuals experiencing issues with symmetry typically begin to exhibit pronounced symptoms around the age of 22, coinciding with the complete development of the jaws. The most common age for the onset of these symptoms is 25. However, in instances involving constrictive extraction orthodontics, significant health complications may arise much earlier.

My reflections and experiences on this matter are overwhelmingly positive, and perhaps even unwavering for some. I am conscious of this and continuously reassess and refine my ideas in response to new insights, expectations, and experiences. This explanation is by no means comprehensive, nor is it intended to instruct the well-versed. I apologize for any mistakes. Please don't hesitate to offer any constructive criticism or ask any questions before you begin your journey toward balance and potentially genuine well-being.

For more than four decades, I have delved deeply into the fields of Orthodontics and TMJ treatment, bringing a unique perspective to these disciplines. The numerous glowing reviews online serve as proof that this craft deserves to endure beyond my time. Through this platform, I aspire to create a lasting legacy that guides both patients and practitioners toward achieving genuine results efficiently and cost-effectively.

My first significant success occurred unexpectedly when I encountered a patient plagued by chronic, debilitating headaches for six months. Despite exhaustive efforts, the doctors couldn't pinpoint any physical cause and concluded she needed psychiatric treatment for a presumed mental illness. Her detailed account can be found elsewhere on this forum, but I was delighted when her headaches vanished over a single weekend following some precise dental adjustments. The root of her issue traced back to a previous procedure involving four quadrant amalgam fillings under general anaesthesia, which had disrupted her bite. Once corrected, she experienced rapid recovery within just one weekend.

The subject has gradually evolved through years of rigorous study and extensive experience in treating numerous patients. This approach marks a significant shift away from the conventional belief that medication is essential for treating illness. Teeth are not standalone entities within the body; rather, the events occurring within the mouth can have significant impacts on overall health. Dentists who overlook this interconnectedness do so at great risk. Many common ailments plaguing society stem from structural imbalances, beginning with the teeth and jaws.


In any human endeavour for which an impressive visual result is part of the desired objective, symmetry plays a profound role.

Symmetry in architecture
Another realm where visual impact is crucial to success is architecture. Throughout history, the grandeur of large structures has often aimed to awe or even intimidate onlookers. Achieving such an effect invariably involves the strategic use of symmetry.

Just a few examples of ancient architecture that made powerful use of symmetry to impress those around them included the Egyptian Pyramids, the Taj Mahal, the Greek Parthenon, and the many temples and pyramids of ancient Pre-Columbian civilizations.

This harmony is viewed within nature as the Divine Proportion. The Divine Proportion ascribed to our collective state of observation has been expressed as:

THE GOLDEN RATIO
Renaissance artists such as Michelangelo, Raphael, and Leonardo da Vinci used the divine proportion in their paintings and sculptures to achieve beauty and balance. In 1509, Leonardo da Vinci used the divine proportion to create illustrations for the mathematician Luca Pacioli's paper "De Divina Proportione." It is also present in some of da Vinci's most well-known paintings – Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, and The Vitruvian Man.

Symmetry in living creatures

The relationship of symmetry to aesthetics is complex. Certain simple symmetries, and bilateral symmetry, seem to be deeply ingrained in the inherent perception by humans of the likely health or fitness of other living creatures.

It is believed that the human form is at its most pleasing, the more nearly its parts divide into these golden sections. The ideal distance from the feet to the navel is approximately 1.618 times the distance from the navel to the top of the head.

Leonardo's iconic Vitruvian Man, sketched over half a millennium ago, embodies perfect symmetry. Any deviation from this meticulous balance portends unfavourable outcomes.

Symmetry of the Cranio-dental complex and the skeleton appears to be a key to the proper functioning of our brain, the intake of nutrients, the intake of oxygen and the proper functioning of all the organs of the body.

Roger Sperry, an American neuropsychologist, who won the Nobel Prize for brain research in 1981, states that:

"More than 90% of the energy output of the brain is used in relating to the physical body in its gravitational field. The more mechanically distorted a person is, the less energy available for thinking, metabolism and healing." This is the most profound statement which needs the utmost attention.

The brain and spinal cord that extends from it constitute the central nervous system. It controls thought, memory, emotion, touch, motor skills, vision, breathing, temperature, hunger and every process that regulates our body.

If 90% is taken away in the management of the symmetry of the skeleton than very little is left for other bodily functions including the healing of our bodies.

Assuming that Roger Sperry is correct than THE MOST IMPORTANT PRELIMINARY TREATMENT FOR ANY ILLNESS HAS TO BE THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE SYMMETRY OF THE CRANIO-DENTAL AND SKELETAL COMPLEX so that the brain is relieved of the burden of achieving spatial symmetry and can concentrate on healing the body instead of contending with its mechanical distortions.

Rising above the concepts of basic orthodontics, I discovered how widespread asymmetry is in every single patient who attended for treatment.

The symmetry of the human and animal form and its role in health has been researched by others. Robin Baker and colleagues at Manchester University in England report that their studies have shown that from the speed of race horses to the risk of breast cancer, heart disease, and the production of sperm, there is a correlation with symmetry. They also found that the most even measurements on both sides of the body also measured up to when it came to sexual performance.

The concept of symmetry and it's synonymity with beauty has been amplified by various modern researchers. Victor Johnston, a psychologist at New Mexico State University, who has conducted a lot of research into the perception of beauty comments "I've realised that there is enormous agreement between people as to what is beautiful. People from all over the world are amazingly consistent.

Beauty does not seem to be relative. It does seem that there are universal proportions." Other researchers have found evidence that perhaps the perception of beauty is inborn. At the University of Texas, Dr Judith Langlois has carried out research which indicates that even newborn babies stare significantly longer at so called "attractive" faces. Could this outward appearance of beauty also be consistent with good health, intelligence, ability to survive and to procreate?

Symmetry's role in conferring intelligence has been shown by the studies of Professor Randy Thornhill, professor of biology at the University of New Mexico found that symmetrical people scored higher in IQ tests. When one sees the stature of the fashion models at shows, the models not only have symmetrical bodies but also have symmetrical faces, jaws and teeth. Perhaps health is also their prerogative.

Symmetrical features are commonly observed among athletes, particularly those hailing from Ethiopia and East Africa. Might their radiant smiles be a reflection of robust health, emanating from the symmetry of their teeth and jaws?

I have observed that asymmetry in the human body is quite common and linked to poor health. For most individuals, it is nearly impossible to recognize that our bodies can exhibit multiple asymmetries in the sagittal, transverse, and coronal planes. Ill health can often be discerned simply by examining the face. Asymmetries in the body typically mirror those in the face, head, and jaw, leading to various health issues. While symmetry is a hallmark of good health, it is crucial to understand asymmetry and how to address it, not only to prevent diseases but also to treat many chronic conditions.

In this forum, we will embark on a voyage of discovery to uncover the profound power of symmetry and its finely tuned connection to our overall health. We will illustrate how imbalances in our cranio-dental and skeletal structures can frequently result in severe health issues. We aim to assist you in preventing illness and regaining health, potentially alleviating many chronic, untreatable conditions.
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CONDITIONS OF USE AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This article serves solely for educational purposes. The improvements or benefits discussed herein are drawn from individual experiences, which are influenced by the unique health conditions, medical histories, and other personalised factors of those individuals, and should not be assumed to represent universal treatment outcomes. It is imperative to consult your physician before considering any suggestions mentioned. This information is intended to complement, not substitute, the advice of your doctor or healthcare provider and does not encompass all potential uses, precautions, interactions, or side effects. It may not be applicable to your specific health situation. Never delay or ignore seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or another qualified healthcare provider based on something you have read in this article. Always discuss with your doctor or healthcare professional before beginning, discontinuing, or altering any prescribed part of your health care plan or treatment to determine the most appropriate course of therapy for you.