In my quest to understand how the dental bite and jaw joints fit with the rest of the body, I have come across many paths. One that seems to have profound impact on my dentistry, I learned from Mike Cantrell, MPT PRC.
As a speaker and instructor for the Postural Restoration Institute, Mike has a clear grasp of how the different parts of the body impact and interact with one another — and he is skillful at explaining it to patients in their language. In this particular methodology, gone is the old adage in physical therapy: if it’s too tight, stretch it; if it’s too loose, strengthen it. That is, until first you evaluate what position the body is in.
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In our work together, we have helped patients to use their teeth and dental bite as a frame of reference for whole body posture. For me as a dentist, this type of collaboration drastically increases the success of longterm stability in patients with TMJ dysfunction and jaw pain. For more information, see the site below:
http://www.cantrellcenter.com/