Black Hills Orofacial Myology

08/28/2024

Adenoid and tonsillar hypertrophy in children often leads to adverse respiratory symptoms and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Current clinical guidelin…

05/27/2024

Lesson of the Day: Today is not “Happy Memorial Day”

We are remembering the soldiers who fought for this country and lost their lives doing so. So before you light that grill, take that bite, pop open that can and bottle, or begin to say “happy Memorial Day” today, remember there are families who are not so “happy” or celebratory on this day. Remember why you have this day off.

Thank you for learning with us! Thank you to our (correction) Service Members who lost their lives most of all!

So with this we say, Have a blessed Memorial Day!
🇺🇸❤️🤍💙🇺🇸

05/04/2024

Quality sleep is so important to your health!

05/03/2024

Looks like a bowl? Well shaped tongue?? 🤪

04/30/2024

I recently attended the MyoSphere Symposium in Orlando Florida and learned lots of great things to better serve you! Watch for more to come!

02/07/2021

As always, get the input of your providers before implementing any treatment, but this may be good for jaw pain!

Hello Friends! In this video, I go over how to release the lateral pterygoid muscle. This muscle becomes dysfunctional with chronic clenching, chronic brux...

10/25/2020

Can you spot the signs of crooked teeth?

Today we are in an orthodontic epidemic. It’s the biggest health problem on the planet. When teeth are crooked, it’s a sign the craniofacial system has not developed in a way the human form has been designed.

Parents can pick up the signs early. Thin, narrow jaws often come alongside a set of symptoms. If you look at the two pictures above, the general pattern of development on then left accompanies crooked teeth.

When the platforms of the jaws don’t grow, teeth don’t fit, it’s that simple. But the problems that ensue are not simple and orthodontics is a great fix for straightening teeth, but there may be more to the picture.

It becomes a complex syndrome with different signs/symptoms.

#1: Incorrect Skeletal, Jaw and Teeth Development

Jaw development:
Developing a wide palate is key to proper jaw development.
Cranial imbalances can involve the skull, jaw, and vertebral bones. The development of the upper jaw or palate is the main factor directing the growth of these bones.

#2: Nasal airway obstruction
Nasal breathing is central to proper jaw and teeth development.

In one day you will take between 20 000 to 30 000 breaths. Normal breathing provides forces that expand the maxilla and upper jaw.

Signs: Snoring, mouth breathing or gasping during sleep

#3: Incorrect Tongue Posture

In proper tongue posture, we should see the tongue up against the palate. The tip of the tongue behind the front of the top teeth right to the back of the tongue should be pressed upwards to the back of the throat. This activates all the muscles that connect to the jaw, the base of the skull, the spine and the throat.

#4: Poor Lip Posture

Your child’s facial muscles should close the lips at rest. If their lips don’t sit together at rest, it’s often due to a low and forward tongue posture.

#5: Oral behaviors

Certain non-nutritive sucking such as: Thumb sucking and pacifiers can create affect how the jaw develops early in life.

Do you notice any of these signs in yourself or your children?

07/06/2020

The nasal sinus is an incredible immune mediating agent (if we choose to use it).

Breathing through your nose for the majority of times engages a powerful system to prevent infections.

It’s a beautiful balance of cells, mucous and microbes that show how incredible nature can be.

Immune cells in your nose trigger responses and guide the immune system. The problem is that we’ve become disconnected with nasal breathing, and how it is a pillar of our health.

The immunology of the nose is telling us how intricate the nasal sinus is:

In 2008 research demonstrated how viral agents such as rhinovirus (common cold) can infiltrate and kickstart the white blood cell response against it.

We come into contact with pathogens all the time. While such responses are key to maintain health in the face of pathogens, if the nasal immune system is not supported they can also become a source of illness due to resulting inflammation.

This can lead to potentially life-long problems, including tissue swelling, nasal polyp formation, sneezing, stuffy and runny nose, sore throat, cough, headache, chills, fever and difficulty breathing.

The cells of the surface of our nose and sinuses is much more than a protective cover. They are mediators or ‘middlemen’ in disease that result in inflammation too. They signal the immune system and mix information with the nasal microbiome.

Yes, the nose has a microbiome too.

New studies into the microbes that live in the nose also play a mediation role between the infection of agents and communication with the lung microbiome.

When comparing the nasal microbiome in healthy people compared to those with chronic rhinosinusitis they find that healthy people have more DIVERSE nasal microbiomes. They are enriched with streptococcus, haemophilus, and fusobacterium spp. Those with chronic inflammation have less of these bacteria living in the hos.

During the first year of life the nasal microbiome can be measured as determinant of risk of future asthma development and severity of accompanying inflammatory symptoms. The early asymptomatic colonization with Streptococcus in particular being a strong predictor for the future development of asthma. These come from maternal vaginal microbiome and contact with healthy parents.

The nasal microbiome can also influence and modulate infection by other viruses. Studies have compared differences between infants who have had the common cold and those with respiratory syncytial virus.

Today, whilst studies are early, there is developments in the use of probiotics as supportive treatment for those with respiratory issues.

One study showed that Lactobacillus acidophilus 92 in fermented milk significantly improved nasal symptom scores in participants with acute nasal inflmamtion in comparison with the administration of milk without lactic acid bacteria

Other studies show that the effect of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and vitamin D supplementation can decrease allergies to grass pollen. They found that there was a decrease in the symptom-medication score in all groups treated.

The tools for immunity are within us if we understand them and use them correctly. Proper dental development is also key to guide a healthy nasal passage.

You can read more on this research via the Johns Hopkins Sinus Center.

Do you suffer with nasal inflammation?

06/26/2020

We are appreciating the physiological health benefits of developing straight teeth.
​
​Expanding the upper jaw that forms the roof of the mouth increases nasal volume and increases nasal airway flow.

When you look at the picture above you may think, ‘of course it does.’

The reality is that the connection between the airway, the bones that support them, and the teeth that sits in them have not been considered as one ‘organism’ previously.

The recently published metanalysis concluded that expanding the palate (roof of the mouth) improves flow of air in the nose.

It was performed by a cross-disciplinary team at including Ear Nose and Throat Surgeons, Orthodontists, and epidemiologists. The meta-analysis looked at 30 papers and used rhinomanometry (nasal airflow) as a marker for nasal air flow.

It’s reported that impaired nasal breathing is associated with a ‘high-arched’ upper jaw in up to 47% of cases.

The team assessed multiple techniques to expand the palate but stopped short at concluding that palatal expansion should be used to improve nasal breathing, citing more evidence as needed.

Hopefully what this paper allows is future studies that confirm the connection between a wide palate and nasal sinus.

It’s a beautiful example of how if we put our heads together, we can solve very big problems, and a bit of common sense goes a long way!

One thing that I observe in my patients, is that a narrow upper palate is a very common issue with patients today.
Patients present more often than not with high ‘V-shaped’ when the roof of the mouth should be U-shaped and flat.

Crooked upper teeth usually mean you have a crooked nasal sinuses.

To explore this problem and to let you know on some of the clinical techniques to address this issue I’m interviewing one of the paper’s authors.

Dr. Sandra Kahn is an orthodontist and author of the book ‘Jaws’, she has devoted her career to showing the connection between crooked teeth and the airway.

You can watch the interview live on Thursday 26th of June 3pm ET : https://www.facebook.com/DrStevenLin/videos/269555487687353/

We can solve crooked teeth! Do you struggle to breathe through your nose?

Post your questions below.