Dental Distress Syndrome

By Maribel Vann, DDS

Patients who have been labeled as hypochondriacs may also often suffer from “dental distress syndrome”. According to Dr. Al Fonder, DDS, this syndrome is caused by mal-occluded teeth (improper bite) which results in muscle spasms of the muscles of the jaws, head, neck and shoulders.

This may routinely cause pathologic alterations throughout all the systems of the body and mind. Many of these patients complain of

1. Chronic headaches (including

migraine)

2. Dizziness

3. Loss of hearing

4. Eye pain

5. Facial pain

6. Anxiety

7. Nervousness

8. Forgetfulness

9. Chronic fatigue

10. Insomnia

11. Sinusitis

12. Vague and distinct body pains

Dr. Al Fonder also clinically observed and documented a host of structural body distortions routinely associated with an improper bite

1. Lateralspinal curvature (scoliosis)

2. Forward spinal curvature (lordosis)

3. Humpback or backward spinal

curvature (kyphosis)

4. Pelvic rotation

5. Uneven shoulder height

6. Forward head posture and side

head tilt

7. Displaced organ position due to

skeletal structural distortions

8. Reduction of blood, oxygen and

lymphatic flow in the head and

neck

Dr. Fonder also clinically observed that removal of the dental distress allowed the body, in many cases, to self correct structurally, chemically, and physiologically.

The images to the top right are an example of an improper bite. Image #1 shows a patient with a severe overbite, the lower teeth are not visible when the patient's mouth is closed. Image #2 is a side view showing a severe overjet, the upper front teeth are sticking out too far forward.

This patient was treated with the advanced lightwire functional appliance (ALF), as seen in the pictures to the right.