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By Vanessa Orr 4 North Hills Monthly MAGAZINE November 2010 www.northhillsmonthly.com 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.” www.northhillsmonthly.com 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 November 2010 North Hills Monthly MAGAZINE 5 T H B E E S T O F “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!” 6 North Hills Monthly MAGAZINE November 2010 MARY MCFARLAND www.northhillsmonthly.com B O T H 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.” W O R L D S “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 www.northhillsmonthly.com November 2010 North Hills Monthly MAGAZINE 7