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Saturday, August 2, 2008

MISSION AND GOALS

Occlusion Connections.com is a site that encourages open interaction by dental professionals wishing to further their learning and experience through internet communication and web interaction.

This blog is dedicated to those dentists and technicians desiring to take their dentistry to the "next level" in Physiologic Occlusion.

Neuromuscular and gnathologic concepts and philosophies are synthesized in the fields of TMD, restorative rehabilitation and orthodontic/orthopedics.

This site is dedicated to increasing the sophistication of the diagnosis and treatment we can offer our patients.

We believe in a community of dentists and technicians who want an honest exchange of answers to clinical questions and concerns regarding dental occlusion and its management issues.


Using involuntary muscle stimulus with the Myomonitor TENS to adjust the bite.

ADVANCING THE USE OF NM TECHNOLOGY CLINICALLY
One thing I realized is that using the J4/J5 Myomonitor TENS can work for you or against you if the dentist is not properly trained in such advanced technology! Using computerized mandibular scanning (CMS/ "Jaw Tracking") is also another high tech tool to effectively measure and quanitify the jaw position, but if not fully understanding its strengths and weaknesses can certainly lead the clinician down various paths of diagnosis and treatment. I am all for keeping it simple and effective. Jaw tracking is an amazing tool in dentistry to locate a jaw position combined with TENS (muscle relaxation) to speed up treatment resolution time and precision...Time Saver - YES! I wouldn't be where I am and couldn't do what I do without it! That is the KEY!

Electromyography is good for science, but lets get clinical and practical!

There are 2 SIMPLE KEY TECHNOLOGIES I use to get the results I get: TENS and TRACK THE JAW (CMS) position and THEN manage the occlusion to perfection!

Establishing a physiologic mandibular to cranial relationship has challenged the great minds of the dental profession, especially when it relates to TMD, orthodontic and complex prosthetic/restorative treatment. As we know, most of our profession has been trained to use anatomical bone and tooth references to establish a jaw position, but this may not always be effective especially when the TM Joint bones and or teeth structures are worn, degenerated and display dysfunction. Patient's who experience pain, joint derangement and muscular dysfunction challenge the minds of the dental and medical profession, searching for definitive answers to their muscle, occlusal and skeletal problems, desiring a better quality of life.

Obtaining a healthy (physiologic) comfortable "Bite" requires the clinician to understand what is not healthy (pathologic). Furthermore, how to determine a proper mandibular jaw position to establish precision in the bite also requires an appreciation of optimal micro-occlusal management to support an unhesitating healthy central nervous system response of the coming together of the teeth instantaneously confirming to the patient that the bite is comfortable and right to neuro-physiologic standards. Anything less than this, the body attempts to accommodate to some level of adaptability.


by Clayton A. Chan, D.D.S.