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Clayton A. Chan, DDS, MICCMO
Founder and Director of Occlusion Connections™

There exists a controlling relationship within the dental system that puts the various parts of the body either in physiologic health or dysfunction.  The importance of such a balanced relationship between the dental structures and the rest of the body cannot be overemphasized. There is a reciprocal relationship between jaw posture (THE BITE) and overall body/spinal posture – a condition upon which body comfort and health are dependent. The correctness or incorrectness of the human bite affects the postural relationships and entities of the body system.  Without a proper bite the human body is compromised in optimal function and optimal balance.

The principles of health vs. pathology applies to every articulating structure in the body including the temporomandibular joints (TMJ), cervical joint structures including the occlusal joints (teeth) that articulate the relationship between the upper and lower jaws.

Any structures that impinge upon another body part (mal-alignment) contributes to dysfunction and strain to the neurovascular as well as neuromuscular system. The nerve and vascular structures of the TMJ are located in the retro discal tissues which are just behind the condyles and articular disc in normal patients. When the jaw joints/condyles are posterior and encroaching these delicate and vital structures (due to an over closed bite or a bite that lacks sufficient vertical support in the posterior regions of the mouth) a cascading chain of events leads to over all body dysfunction and physical weakness.

Physical therapist or chiropractic treatment does not compress boney parts together and or aim to press or entrap the neurovascular structures, but rather desires to create space to allow boney structures and the neuromusculature to be separated with relaxed musculature.

Patients with intractable back or neck pain have surgery to separate boney parts that are pressing on nerves and/or blood vessels. A spinal fusion separates these boney parts by surgically using metal or bone.

Establishing an optimal relationship of the temporomandibular joints, muscles and occlusion (teeth) are key to normalized body function and posturing.  Today’s professional athletes are discovering and confirming the neuromuscular occlusal principles and Neuromuscular Dentistry (NMD) concepts that have been scientifically applied and tested for over 45 years among pioneering researchers and clinicians who have been treating patients with TMJ dysfunctional, complex restorative and orthodontic/orthopedic problems with success.  Over the past 10 years NMD is now being recognized within the dental profession as a valid mode of treatment.

What is Bite Optimization?

• Optimization of the bite fundamentally relates anatomical structures as well as bio-physiologic relationships together.
• Optimization is determined and validated from the neuromuscular muscle relaxed position.  Low frequency TENS has been used to establish homeostasis (true physiologic rest position).
• Optimization is validated by objective measuring technology using CMS (computerized mandibular scanning), Electromyography (EMG) that scientifically quantifies before and after jaw relationship with before and after TENs to measure and confirm true optimization scientifically.  CMS measures jaw positioning and location.  EMGs measures muscle activity status of the mandible and cervical relationships.
• In order for the disc to be optimized it must be properly positioned over the condylar head – not anterior or medially displaced.
• It recognizes that the condyle is not positioned in a posterior superior position within the glenoid fossa.
• It recognizes that the condyle and disc must function free of any impingement – no clicking, no popping.
• When the disc is reduced and the condyle is properly position within the glenoid fossa an optimal bite position can exist.
• Muscles of the face, head, lower jaw as well as the cervical neck and shoulder regions must be balanced with proper body posture to bring optimal body balance and function.
• Optimization is a term used to distinguish classical neuromuscular jaw positioning from a systematic bite finding protocol using jaw tracking instrumentation (Myotronics K7, Scan 4/5) developed and pioneered by the originator Dr. Clayton  Chan (refered to as Gneuromuscular – a more advanced form of traditional Neuromuscular occlusion).

Read more on:   “Clinical and Scientific Validation for Optimizing the Neuromuscular Trajectory Using the Chan Protocol”

When the bite is not supporting a proper condyles and disc relationship the patient is more prone to the ills of various musculoskeletal problems, further exasperated with a trauma incident.

The dental literature has hundreds of studies strongly supporting the finding that patients with TMJ dysfunction have reduced posterior joint space as compared to non-pain control patients. There is also universal consensus that the optimal position of the condyle relative to the disc is proximate seating into the biconcave part of the disk. This is an avascular structure that is designed to accept functional loads. When the condyle and disc do not remain proximate during the full range of functional movement TMJ “click” or “pops” occur.  When the condyle is compressed or pushed up and back by traumatic force into the posterior regions of the glenoid fossa this places abnormal forces on to the retro-discal tissues behind the condyle just forward of the ear, often resulting in unresolving occlusal challenges (ie., teeth sensitivity, toothaches, tooth mobility, surrounding bone loss to the periodontium and lack of a stable bite).

TMJ Dysfunction Correlated to Body Dysfunction
With a lack of occlusal (bite) stability the head and neck bend slightly forward (accommodating) causing an instantaneous downward cascading neurological,  muscular and structural responses such as: a decrease in arm strength resistance, limited rotational body movements at the waist, decrease agility in the bodies  flexibility, decreased overall body’s ability to balance as well as limited head rotation to mention a few.

Athletic Performance and Optimization of the Mandibular/ TMJ Position
Athletes as well as patient’s who have experienced TMJ have discovered that when moving their mandible’s slightly more forward in a physiologic unforced position that the disc are better positioned in the TM Joints, the head responds in a much more leveled position.  The optimization of the mandible and TM joints as it relates to the cranium proprioceptively and physiologically responds by contributing to better an improved head balance, atlas and axis alignment, shoulder muscle balance, over all body alignment of the pelvis and leg length balance with increased strength.

Click Bite Optimization and  Triumphant Agility Guard to read more.