Coordinating Dental Orthopaedic Treatment with Osteopathy

Teeth grow and erupt into the space available for them. They occupy a position that is in the neutral zone between the tongue, lips and cheeks. The final position is the one of least resistance between the forces of the soft tissues on either side of the arch. The teeth are innocent in their positioning and the final arrangement is a result of the balance of forces in the mouth. If the teeth are overcrowded or the biting position is out of alignment, the fault is not with the teeth but with the underlying tissues. It is, therefore, important to align the jaws correctly and ensure that their development is optimum, in order to give the permanent teeth the best chance to erupt into their correct positions. For this reason, early treatment and early recognition of misalignment are necessary. Frequently, when seeing young children, the likely positions of the permanent teeth and the permanent bite relationship can be anticipated. In severe cases, treatment should be initiated early and this can involve getting the jaw relationship correct before the permanent teeth erupt.

Research carried out on more than 7,000 children has shown that more than 70% of children requiring orthodontic treatment have an underlying misalignment of their jaws, and a derangement in the jaw joint relationship.

It is possible to go through life without any symptoms from a misaligned jaw, but unfortunately, some adults suffer chronic pain as a result and can end up having extensive orthopaedic treatment and/or jaw joint surgery. In order to avoid more complicated treatment in later life, it is, therefore, advisable to diagnose and treat jaw misalignment early.

When the jaws are misaligned, this can also have an effect on the head/neck posture and consequently, the posture of the rest of the body. When the jaw position is corrected, the body posture also can change. Conversely, when the body is misaligned problems can be created in the jaw relationship. It is for this reason that the disciplines of osteopathy and dentistry can interrelate and cooperate to the benefit of the patient.