Did you know that the way your teeth touch (or don’t) can affect muscle tension and body positions throughout your entire body? The way that our teeth touch (known as our occlusion) is the base for position of our upper cervical and cranial alignment, and often sets the stage for the rest of the body to organize around. Thus, issues with your occlusion or TMJ alignment can affect why certain muscles are always tight or why joints are always getting irritated. It can affect why you may have trouble feeling certain muscles engage, or why your body feels “imbalanced” and looks asymmetric in some way when you look in the mirror. It will most definitely affect how your head sits atop your neck (and then how your neck muscles must work) in order to manage that position and maintain your airway.
For instance, feel how your teeth touch together as you read this. Now turn your head to either side or bend your neck so your ear moves towards your shoulder on either side. Did the way your teeth touch change, even slightly? Those subtle differences are powerful influences to our brain’s proprioceptive sense and greatly influence muscle tension patterns throughout our body.
It is for these reasons that Frank coordinates collaborative care with numerous dentists in the Philadelphia area, where Frank is on-site with the dentist for appliance fabrication working to ensure that the appliance being made for you is made to a body position that is in its most balanced, aligned, and thus relaxed, state. Without these considerations, your splint could simply be accommodating an imbalanced state and allowing muscle imbalances and patterns of hyperactivity (i.e., grinding, clenching) to persist.
Dental Integration
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You may benefit from dental integration in conjunction with a postural restoration program if:
You had braces at a previous age which straightened teeth on an asymmetric body alignment
The way that your teeth touch feels different on one side of their mouth versus the other
You have had teeth removed or have had major dental work done
You experience headaches and migraines
You experience dizziness and episodes of lightheadedness
You wake up in the morning with pain, achiness or stiffness in areas of your body
You have chronic TMJ Dysfunction either by itself or in conjunction with other body issues
You grind your teeth at night
You clench your teeth, particularly when stressed
You had a splint/night guard made for you in the past that was not made with the considerations of the state of your system in the regions around your bite
You’ve noticed that the position of your teeth tends to change
You’ve noticed that your teeth touch differently since having an issue or event somewhere else in your body
Since 2017, Frank has been establishing collaborative relationships with dentists of many skill-sets in order to be able to offer a complete patient experience when dental integration is needed. Frank also has provided educational in-services to groups of dentists to show the powerful impact that the combination of a Postural Restoration program can have with dental integration. It is through the collaborative work of Frank and his network of dentists committed to whole-person care that we can offer a unique and specialized team-approach, optimizing patient outcomes by effectively and efficiently addressing physical or neurological/ neuromotor issues affecting quality of life. Renaissance Physical Therapy & Wellness is proud to be the first and only practice in the area offering this comprehensive collaborative service as a powerful complement to our therapy programs.
"Frank has also opened my eyes to a more holistic approach to physical therapy. I saw him during Covid and he was an integral part of teaching me relaxation techniques, realizing that my stress management, allergy management, gut health was all influencing how I felt overall. He has opened my eyes to the type of physical therapy and care that can be given to clients. My body can now handle stress much better. I now have a clearer understanding of how my body should move in space and the possibilities of freedom that come with that."
-LAURA I.
"He helped me navigate the process of getting the proper lenses to balance my body that was being thrown off by an eye surgery I had many years ago. He also coordinated getting me a proper night guard and splint because my head, neck and jaw was being thrown off by invasive orthodontic work I had done many years ago. Now I am having consistently less pain and my scoliosis is now even reversing! I am doing more and I see how much better I can be – more than I every thought would be possible. I see the light!
-BARB G."
"Frank has provided life-changing results through his PRI methods. I was previously dealing with stubborn pain and visited several different chiropractors and osteopathic doctors, none of which were able to produce lasting results. My body would always shift back to the Left AIC/Right BC pattern. Frank was able to address the connection with my teeth and bite to the pattern. He worked in conjunction with Bucks County Dental Design to create an acrylic splint, which has already provided tremendous results. I cannot thank Frank enough for his help!"
- TOM B.
"His expertise and skills found me at the right time. He does an amazing job explaining what is happening in your body and why your symptoms are showing up in your body. He does hands-on manipulation and massage, and energy work, alongside with really focusing on your breath work and teaching you the best ways to walk, sit, stand, to enhance your physical body. Frank then led me to Dr. Keith Hollander (Dentist) who helped create a splint for my mouth as I was having head and neck issues from concussions. The splint helps reorient my brain and thus my nervous system and has made a HUGE improvement to my head and neck!"
-MICHAELA H.
I walked better after the first session. In the sessions that followed, Frank treated me, educated me about my challenges, and taught me movements and breathing techniques to address them. This gave me so much power back. I further benefited from his expertise by acting on his recommendations to minimize my glasses prescription and sleep with a customized mouthguard that he and a dentist teamed up to create. I now walk with stability, ease, and more speed than I have in years - in different kinds of shoes.
- CRYSTAL C.
Dental Integration Testimonials
Dental Integration Discussion with Neal Hallinan