Connecting Heads

Vision

Exploring the Wider Role of Dentistry and Promoting Child Health

As a founder member of the British Society for the Study of Cranio-Mandibular Disorders (jawache.com) I have had the pleasure of working with other health professionals. I believe that together we can achieve an outcome for our patients that is greater than can be achieved by just working on our own. An integrated approach to treatment is the  way forward. We need to work more closely with our medical colleagues and allied professionals: general medical practitioners, ENT’s, paediaticians, cranial osteopaths, chiropractors, myotherapists etc.

Getting to understand what other disciplines can offer will help us form a better treatment plan to the benefit of our patients.

Unfortunately, dentistry has become separated from mainstream medicine. The National Health Service system of funding is probably responsible for this mind set. Functional orthodontics can have a very positive impact on the airway, both nasal  and pharyngeal and yet there is, at the present time, no collaboration with ENT specialists. Dentists are increasingly involved in the treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea with anterior positioning splints. Low oxygenation has been linked with ADHD  and other conditions which are now under further investigation.

Furthermore, there is little emphasis on structure. This is where Osteopaths, Chiropractors and other body therapists have an important role to play. Functional Orthodontists have recognised this for some time. Now it is time to encourage more dialogue to further our understanding.

How to Find a Functional/Orthopaedic Practitioner – lists can be found on the  British Society for the Study of Cranio-Mandibular Disorders (BSSCMD) website: www.jawache.com

Triple”O” Dental Laboratories are the leading suppliers of functional/orthopaedic appliances and may be able to supply more names. www.tripleodentallabs.com