Which patients might need a proactive and comprehensive approach in their dental care?

We would argue that anyone and everyone would benefit greatly under the care of a dentist with advanced and specialized training in occlusion medicine. Why? Recent research and anthropological studies show that the human jaw has progressively deteriorated over the last 100+ years. That has translated to an increase in the need for aggressive dental interventions such as jaw surgeries and premature loss of teeth resulting in the need for more dental implants and dentures. We are trying to solve today's dental issues without a true understanding of the effect of this on our system as a whole. We are seeing an increase in sleep apnea and sleep disordered breathing in adults and children. So, we believe that an integrative approach that addresses the system as a functional whole system, instead of a patchwork of parts, can benefit everyone.

However, patients (adult and children) that present with the following signs and symptoms are likely in urgent need of treatment:

- TMJ pain, headaches

- TMJD due to medical problems (ex: idiopathic condylar resorption, rheumatological diagnoses, etc.)

- noticeable change or shift in bite

- ongoing periodontal and/or restorative problems despite impeccable home care

- crowding, spacing, and/or orthodontic relapse

- worn teeth due to excessive clenching or grinding

- lack of tongue space, tone, and/or function

- underdevelopment of upper/lower jaws during childhood

- mouth breathing, snoring, or other airway issues

Additionally, children who are still growing can benefit greatly by having a Sato-trained dentist monitoring and intervening with treatment as appropriate to guide their jaw development and growth to prevent many of the above mentioned signs and symptoms.

What does treatment entail?

For various reasons, a patient may experience a breakdown in one or more components of the craniomandibular system (teeth, jaw joints, adjoining bones and muscles of the skull and cervical spine). This breakdown can have a direct or indirect impact on their oral health and function. As this is usually multifactorial, it usually requires a multifactorial approach to treatment. This may include a combination of myofunctional therapy, orthodontic treatment, restorative stabilization, and surgical corrections, as well as referrals to appropriate medical and healthcare professionals when needed.

We believe that no factor, on its own, causes breakdown. There are a series of events that can occur. For example, TMJD pain is usually muscular. This can be due to loss of tone or due to loss of a tooth that shifts the jaw joint and the muscles adapt, or many other various reasons. If we only treat the muscular pain and do not address the shift in the bite, the symptom of pain may subside, but the patient may experience further breakdown of their teeth and jaw joint because the bite was ignored. Therefore, Dr. Amin's assessments, diagnostics, and treatment plans are uniquely thorough and multifactorial. She aims to address as many contributing factors as possible when formulating a customized treatment plan for her patients.

If you are looking for a dentist with significant advanced training, Dr. Amin is uniquely qualified to help you. She is a general dentist with further specialized studies in:

Periodontics: She knows how to keep your gums and jawbone healthy, as they are the foundation for your teeth, and she is able to provide high quality surgical care if and when needed.
Sato-Slavicek craniomandibular dentistry and occlusion medicine: She understands how to assess and diagnose the whole system and provide predictable treatment using Professor Sato's orthodontic concepts and Dr. Slavicek's occlusion concepts.
Biomimetic dentistry: She can predictably restore your bite using the best materials, for long-term stability, and retain natural teeth for as long as possible.