Category Archives: jaw misalignment

TMJ, Lock Jaw and Parkinsons

Cheryl was a guest on my weekly radio show several months ago. I received permission from Dianna and Don to post the following question about TMJ and Lock Jaw that Don and Dianne ask Cheryl. If you have any insights here – please feel free to comment!

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease
http://www.parkinsonsdisease.me

Cheryl, can you explain a bit more about you not having TMJ or lock jaw? I’ll tell you Don’s experience, so you can compare.

Don does not have any TMJ problems, to his knowledge. His jaw does click when he opens his mouth widely, and measuring this on a computer program rated his left jaw as having a sound of 127 out of a possible 800. Don also had x-rays that showed the space between the trigeminal joint and the inner Eustachian tube is 1 cm; the space should be about 4 cm.

We were told that a branch of the trigeminal nerve and blood vessels pass through this area. Constriction of the area would put pressure on both that could cause problems. The purpose of the appliance is to shift the jaw forward, thus increasing the space and taking the pressure of the nerve and blood vessels.

Is any of this similar to your process?

Dianne and Don

Dental Appliance Used to Treat Symptoms of Parkinsons Disease

Question:

My wife with works with a woman who has Parkinson’s disease. Apparently this women is going to be going through some sort of treatment with a dental appliance.  It originated in LA, but she is one of 26 receiving it out of Purdue.  Who manufactures this mouthpiece?

Barney

Response:

The mouthpiece is an appliance that is “custom made” by a dentist who has been trained to diagnose and adjust  a jaw misalignment. It is not a device that is manufactured. There is no wholesale off the shelf “standard” appliance that is available currently.

A dentist (who must have special training and equipment to diagnose a jaw misalignment) does a diagnosis to determine if a misalgnment exists. In rare cases surgery is recommended. If a misalignment is found, an appliance is made which the user wears during the day. The dentist does regular adjustments every week in the beginning. The treatment is similar to getting braces.

You can find more information by visiting the October 22nd posting here on the Parkinsons Recovery blog. I have posted a link to a video that explains the nature of the misalignment and a link to a listing of dentists qualified to perform the diagnosis and treatment on that post. You have to scroll down this page – then click previous to access the page.

You can also listen to my radio show interview with Cheryl which aired last month. Cheryl talks in detail about the immediate relief of symptoms she has experienced from wearing the appliance which she obtained from a dentist in California. You can visit the Parkinsons Recovery radio show page by visiting:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/parkinsons-recovery

Scroll back to my show with Cheryl.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery

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