Balance is defined as a state of equilibrium or parity characterized by cancellation of all forces by equal opposing factors. This is the act of maintaining an upright posture (static balance) or in locomotion (dynamic balance or gait). This system depends on vestibular function, vision, and proprioception to maintain posture, to navigate in one's surroundings, to coordinate motion of body parts, to modulate fine motor control, and to initiate the vestibuloculomotor reflexes. These parts of the vestibular system provide our brains with information about changes in head movement with respect to the pull of gravity. Besides the visual, vestibular, and skeletal systems, which contribute to balance disorders, the dental (stomatognathic) system may also contribute to balance disorders. It is when all four of these systems are in coordination with one another, that a person will maintain equilibrium and balance, proper gait, and posture. The current article demonstrates, through normal anatomical and neurological processes, how the stomatognathic system influences these activities.

Spasmodic torticollis or cervical dystonia (CD) is the most common form of focal dystonia and is characterized by sustained abnormal muscle contractions in the head and neck area resulting in abnormal positioning or posturing of the head. The dystonic muscle spasms associated with spasmodic torticollis may affect any combination of neck muscles. Three cases are reported of spasmodic torticollis that were treated by a dental appliance with individual varying occlusal heights to open the maxillomandibular vertical dimension. Upon increasing the vertical dimension of occlusion, there was a slowing and/or discontinuance of the symptoms of cervical dystonia. The proposed hypothesis for this reversal is that there may be neuritis of the auriculotemporal branch of the trigeminal nerve, which has direct input into the reticular formation (RF), and it may activate the cells of the pontine region of the RF known for the control and deviation of head posture. There is growing clinical evidence that temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction may be a factor in this neurological and painful disorder when it coexists.

No abstract

No abstract

For a century and a half, Tourette's syndrome (TS) has been a mystery to the medical profession with physicians believing that it was a psychological disorder, then a neurological brain disorder, and then, an infectious disease caused by streptococcus. What was never considered was that this disorder called Tourette's was due to a structural deformity which would manifest itself as a neurological problem. What has been discovered is that Tourette's syndrome is neither psychological, infectious, genetic or environmental in origin, but is what we have termed a structural-reflex disorder, and have shown through this pilot study of multiple cases how and why Tourette's and its multiple co-morbid disorders can be discontinued with a device that requires no medicines or surgery called the Neurocranio Vertical Distractor (NCVD).