2322 196th St. SW, Suite 201 Lynnwood, WA 98036
- (425) 361-7499
2322 196th St. SW, Suite 201 Lynnwood, WA 98036
Airway Centered Expert in Lynnwood near Bothell, Mill Creek, Brier, and Mountlake Terrace
According to newer information and analysis, we now understand that upwards of eighty plus percent of our modern population has an underdeveloped upper jaw and midface when comparing to remote population groups that have an ancestral diet and no exposure to modern pollutants. Because of the strong biological drive to have the teeth couple to allow adequate chewing, the lower jaw must react to the underdeveloped upper jaw and thus becomes underdeveloped as well. In Dr. Buck’s opinion, smaller jaws are a result of the compounding factors of a diet that is much softer than our predecessors, added to the lack of robust nasal breathing in children during the time when the face is growing rapidly roughly between ages 6-14 or so. These changes create an alteration in functional signaling to the jaws and affect their growth patterns. To initiate positive orthopedic changes, Dr. Buck uses a comfortable appliance that stimulates an area on the palate causing the entire midface including the upper jaw to remodel for adults. The same appliance stimulates actual growth for children.
The lower jaw simultaneously follows the changes happening in the upper jaw, but is also stimulated gently and safely by an orthopedic approach. The path of change is in harmony with physiology and a more face forward direction. Once the new bone has been formed and the jaws are more fully developed, the following orthodontic phase can correctly straighten the teeth into all the newly developed bone provided by orthopedic stimulation. The result is straight teeth and more correctly sized and positioned jaws, which can make the face more beautiful; allow more room in the mouth for the tongue to position more properly, thus helping breathing; help the TM joints to become healthy ; and finally can help the upper cervical spine to attain more correct and stable form and balance. Dr. Buck believes you can have straight teeth, but ultimately more importantly profoundly healthy physiology of the jaws as well. You don’t have to choose one or the other, with the epigenetic approach you always get both! The result is your healthiest, happiest smile.
Here is an example of a teenager where we used a palatal expander/remodeling appliance to produce remarkable changes in both jaws. When working with younger patients the compound effect of remaining growth in the facial structures along with remodeling can produce remarkable results in a shorter period of time.
Dr. Buck believes in creating broad and full arch forms. This provides for beautiful smiles that create a stunning first impression, but as importantly allows maximum room for the tongue to position up in the palate comfortably which protects the airway during sleep. An open airway means no forward posture insuring a healthy cervical spine.
The picture shows a patient Dr. Buck has treated, and how a broad “Roman arch form” is achieved with physiologically shaped wires. Using a broad form wire maximizes volume for the tongue to lay properly in the mouth and not restricted in a fashion that can invade on the airway. Narrower arch forms are shown in comparison. The left side in the lower arch form, and the right side is the upper arch form. You can see the more well rounded shape on the arches that are circled. The difference although subtle, is significant in terms of total airway health.
Orthodontics straighten your teeth for a beautiful smile. However, patients with under-developed jaw bones who undergo Epigenetic treatments see an improvement in facial bone structure resulting in a more attractive appearance. The corrupt pattern of facial and jaw development always leads to narrower and longer faces with the collapse of both jaws in a down and backward trajectory. This results in a larger appearing nose; thin and unattractive lips; sunken cheek bones; weak and retruded lower jaws; bags under the eyes; sloping foreheads. In fact our transcendent appreciation of facial beauty or the lack thereof follows this theme.
Notice the artists interpretation of beauty is a more face forward horizontally developed profile, while decreasing beauty parallels the path of faulty growth.
A properly proportioned jaw completes a shape in the lower face that makes the face more attractive. Combined with a smile of straight teeth resulting from orthodontics, an Epigenetic approach to orthodontics can have the result of both facelift and cosmetic dentistry.
Dr. Buck uses a specialized form of braces that allows unique movements of teeth such that unusually crowded teeth can be straightened without extractions of teeth. This example below is a 55year old female who was told she needed to have extractions of teeth in order to straighten her teeth. Dr. Buck accomplised complete straightening of the teeth without extactions. This system is used for both teens and adults in our practice.
Jaw surgery may be an excellent treatment method in complex cases to achieve a very positive outcome. In more mild situations jaw surgery is offered as an option along with orthodontics and patients can choose if they want to have just orthodontics and not proceed to surgery. Some cases can be treated well non-surgically with remodeling strategies Dr. Buck uses. We are happy to provide a consultation to review options for non-surgical jaw development orthodontics.
This young patient with a severe underbite would have likely been recommended to have jaw surgery after the adult teeth came in and he was an adult. By harnessing jaw growth potential and using appropriate functional orthopedic appliance therapy, the underbite was corrected in a matter of months and he will not need jaw surgery. The right xray shows the correction.
Dr. Buck and his team are focused on assessing breathing, tongue posture and swallowing problems. We actively provide myofunctional therapy and build this into all of our treatment plans. If breathing and tongue posture are not corrected during treatment, the face can continue to grow in an unwanted direction resulting in a longer face with both jaws down and back as seen in the picture on the left. Notice the right picture where attention was paid to proper rest oral posture and active orthopedic treatment to stimulate horizontal face forward development. The result is both jaws are more forward which improves the airway, facial balance and generates more volume in the mouth for tongue to lay properly. The term ” airway centric” applies to our practice for all patients who seek our care.
Observe the effects of extracting four bicuspids (premolars) from the dental arches for orthodontic purposes. These identical twins had identical bad bites of crooked teeth (malocclusions). The twin on the left had four bicuspids extracted and orthodontic treatments of the traditional variety. Her twin sister, on the right side, had her malocclusion treated the European Functional Jaw Orthopedics way using removable Functional Appliances as a part of her treatment plan, and most importantly, she did NOT have four bicuspids extracted as part of the treatment. Look Closely. Now remember, these photos are not repeats of the same person but individual pictures of two different persons, identical twins. After orthodontic treatment was completed, notice the difference in facial appearance of the girls’ faces. The girl on the left has had four bicuspids extracted and traditional American style metal braces. The girl on the right had her treatment done by means of European style removable Functional Appliances and did NOT have any teeth removed. Notice the wide face, the broader smile, the fuller appearance to the entire smile line, and the fullness and beauty of the lower facial structure!
