Download State-of-the-Art Neuromuscular Dentisty and

By Vanessa Orr
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North Hills Monthly MAGAZINE
November 2010
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W
hen most people visit a dentist, it’s to have
teeth cleaned or cavities filled, or for more complex
procedures like root canals. But for those who
suffer from headaches, earaches, or neck and
shoulder pain, a visit to the dentist may be exactly
what they need.
“People believe that all dentists are
the same and that we all provide the
same services,” explained John E.
Pawlowicz III of Pawlowicz
Dentistry in Lyndora. “But dentists
who are trained in neuromuscular
dentistry look at the patient
differently; our goal is to get a
patient’s teeth, muscles and joints
back in harmony, and as a result, to
alleviate a patient’s pain.”
Of the 165,000 trained dentists in
the United States and Canada, only
7,000 are trained in neuromuscular
dentistry. In addition to evaluating
the teeth, bones and gums,
neuromuscular dentistry also focuses
on the hard and soft tissues, muscles
and nerves in order to correctly align
patients’ jaws.
“A person uses his or her teeth
3,000 times a day; every time a
person swallows, his or her teeth
come together,” explains Dr.
Pawlowicz. “Nighttime clenchers or
grinders exert even more pressure.
“Teeth are like tires; they wear
down,” he continues. “And when
teeth become shorter, it affects a
person’s jaw position. This can cause
TMJ (temporomandibular joint
disorder) or TMD (temporomandibular disorder)-like symptoms,
including headaches, clicking or
popping sounds in the jaw, and a
reduced ability to open or close one’s
mouth.” Other symptoms of TMD
can include a dull, aching pain in the
face, earaches, hearing loss,
migraines, jaw pain or tenderness,
neck and shoulder pain, and ringing
in the ears.
“People often visit ENT (ear, nose
and throat) doctors with complaints
of ear problems, but the problems
can’t be diagnosed,” said Dr.
Pawlowicz, adding that patient
complaints may also include dizziness
and postural issues. “When they
come to me, I look at their bite; if
the jaw is misaligned, it can greatly
affect their overall health.”
“A person uses his or her teeth 3,000 times a day;
every time a person swallows, his or her teeth
come together.”
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Dr. Pawlowicz works with other
health care professionals such as
ENT doctors, chiropractors and
even other dentists to pinpoint the
reasons for a patient’s pain. He also
teaches future neuromuscular
dentists at the Las Vegas Institute for
Advanced Dental Studies (LVI
Global), one of the world's premier
post-graduate dental teaching
centers.
“I feel honored to be one of only
78 elite instructors of neuromuscular
dentistry at LVI Global, helping
dentists all over the country gain the
skill and knowledge they need to
treat their patients and bringing this
knowledge back to western
Pennsylvania,” said Dr. Pawlowicz.
At LVI Global, Dr. Pawlowicz
teaches occlusion (how teeth come
together), adhesive dentistry,
anatomy and physiology, and
removable denture courses.
“Patients often come to me as their
last hope—they are in constant pain
and are having trouble functioning in
their jobs. Many of them are
depressed, and some are also having
family troubles because no one wants
to live with someone in constant
pain,” he said. “One of the best parts
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North Hills Monthly MAGAZINE
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“Patients often come to me as their last hope—they are
in constant pain and are having trouble functioning in
their jobs. Many of them are depressed, and some are
also having family troubles because no one wants to live
with someone in constant pain.”
of my job—what’s really great—is to
see patients start to turn around after
having their jaws placed into the
correct position so that they can heal.
Many of them are also able to get rid
of all of the drugs and medications
they’ve been taking to treat
headaches and joint issues.”
While the technology used in
neuromuscular dentistry has been
around since the 1950s, it was most
commonly used on the West Coast
before Dr. Pawlowicz began offering
these treatment modalities in western
Pennsylvania. Produced by
Myotronics, the state-of-the-art
computer instrumentation and
diagnostic equipment not only
enables the doctor to look at
patients’ muscles and how they have
become overworked as the result of a
bad bite, but also the changes in head
position that have occurred.
“I want to be able to quantify my
results; I not only want to see
patients getting better, but I want to
be able to measure their progression,”
explained Dr. Pawlowicz. “I want to
see data on how a patient’s muscles
are functioning, how their mouths are
opening and closing, and how they
are chewing.”
New technology has also enabled
Pawlowicz Dentistry to ‘virtually’
“I had come into Pawlowicz Dentistry to look for volunteers
for a blood drive and saw the girls with beautiful white teeth. I
came in for smile whitening but I had several cracked teeth so
whitening wasn’t possible. Dr. Pawlowicz recommended that I
have full mouth reconstruction, not only to make my teeth
look the way I wanted them to, but also for my health. This is
the best thing I ever did. Now my teeth are balanced, natural
looking and so white. People stare at my smile. One of my
clients said “I want your smile!” I sent her to Pawlowicz
Dentistry. I recommend Pawlowicz Dentistry to everyone!
These doctors work together so well. Anything you need to have done, just come in and let
these doctors do what they do best. Sit back,relax and let the professionals do what they’ve
been trained to do… give you a beautiful smile!”
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North Hills Monthly MAGAZINE
November 2010
MARY MCFARLAND
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help patients before providing
treatment. “We use computer
tomography (CT) imaging for
patients who are missing teeth to
determine if they have enough bone
in their jaw for implants, whereas
before we would need to significantly
cut into the gum to make this
determination,” said Dr. Pawlowicz.
“Through this noninvasive
procedure, we can create a virtual
skull to see if there’s enough bone. If
there isn’t, we’ll choose a different
treatment.”
Technology also enables the dentists
to provide athletes with custom
mouth guards that enhance
performance. “Athletes clench their
teeth during physical action, and bite
imbalances can make a difference in
how they perform,” explained Dr.
Pawlowicz. “Subthreshold pain takes
strength away from the power muscles
used in throwing a ball; if you set the
jaw in a neutral position that is more
comfortable for the body, the athlete
can better perform. He is not fighting
fatigue caused by pain.”
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“I want to be able to quantify my results; I not only
want to see patients getting better, but I want to be
able to measure their progression.”
now those children are bringing their
children in,” said Dr. Pawlowicz. “It’s
been very fulfilling and rewarding for
my father to be able to treat patients
across multiple generations.”
Pawlowicz Dentistry offers services
for patients for all ages, including
early intervention periodontics; full
mouth rehab for patients who have a
hard time wearing dentures; and inoffice sedation for people who are
scared to visit the dentist. “We still
do traditional dentistry extremely
well, but our practice is different in
the fact that we also bring newer
treatment modalities to our clients,”
said Dr. Pawlowicz. “It’s exciting.
There are so many advanced
technologies available now to help
patients that weren’t available
before.”
For more information on
Pawlowicz Dentistry,
call 724-287-4000, visit
www.wowsmilenow.com or email
[email protected]. Known as the Makkar PPM, this
mouth guard is worn by many
famous athletes, including Shaquille
O’Neal, Terrell Owens, Tracy Porter
and most of the New Orleans Saints.
Athletes who wear the guard report
better range of motion, flexibility and
balance, and improved body posture.
While neuromuscular dentistry
and some of its technologies may be
fairly new to the area, the Pawlowicz
family’s expertise in the field of
dentistry is not. Dr. Pawlowicz’s
father, Dr. John S. Pawlowicz, Jr.,
established the practice in 1964 and
still provides traditional dentistry at
the Lyndora location, where son Dr.
Jason Pawlowicz also works.
“We have patients that my dad
treated who are now grandparents,
who brought their children in, and
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November 2010
North Hills Monthly MAGAZINE
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