Dentistry and Cranial Treatments

Craniosacral Therapist believe there is an important connection between the state of your mouth/teeth and the rest of your body.

In health, CST practitioners are able to perceive that facial and cranial bones are free to express movement rhythmically. If the mouth is subject to trauma, it is possible that normal and rhythmic bone motion could become restricted and we may potentially develop symptoms not only in the face, head and neck but also elsewhere in the body.

One of the common causes of trauma in the mouth are intensive dental treatments.

COMMON CAUSES OF DENTAL TRAUMA:

• Tooth extraction (including wisdom teeth)

• Root canals

• Freezing/anesthesia

• Upper full or partial denture

• Bridges that connect the front teeth

• Absence of back teeth

• Orthodontics

• Oral surgeries, implants, bone grafting

COMMON SYMPTOMS:

• Nasal problems, "allergies"

• Hearing problems

• Headaches

• Migraines

• Neck pain

• Back pain

• TMJ disorders

• Teeth grinding/clenching

THE IMPORTANT CONNECTION BETWEEN DENTISTRY AND CRANIAL WORK

Often, craniosacral practitioners are able to find strong patterns of tension in the face and mouth area that require treatment, and that may have potentially been the cause of other symptoms

in other areas of the body.

Cranial work offers a powerful delicate approach to help release those patterns.

Some recommendations below...

CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY RECOMMENDATIONS:

It is recommended to follow up with CST after an intense dental appointment. There are many reasons why this may be necessary, among the most important ones:

• Assisting with the flow of the anesthetics: after receiving local anesthesia for oral surgery or any dental procedure, receiving CST can help with restoring proper nerve flow where the freezing was applied. As well as help with healing from the pain of the injection where the anesthetic was applied.

• Assisting with a long treatment of orthodontics: it is suggested by dentists that braces can be helpful if you are trying to “correct” your teeth and the alignment of your bite. However, in cranial work, we experience that the the implications of orthodontics in the whole craniosacral system may be quite restraining - especially if the patient is a young child or a teenager. For those looking for less invasive alternative methods, craniosacral therapy can address the deeper tensions that might be within the cranium, and that may potentially be the reason for teeth crowding. CST can also assist with TMJ realignment. If the client chooses to use orthodontics, you can follow up each orthodontic adjustment with a CST session to help accommodate each adjustment with more ease.

  
  

• Assisting with the healing of all the tissue that has been incised, cut, bruised or damaged, during a dental procedure. Especially if a patient has gone through any oral surgery, including wisdom teeth removal. It is also a good idea to get a second or third opinion from holistic dentists at the time of determining whether wisdom teeth need to be extracted.

  
  

• Assisting with tensions and posture: laying down with your head tilted backwards and your mouth wide open (sometimes for 2 or 3 hours) can be very hard on the head and neck. Some clients that are sensitive to dental work can feel very stiff and tense after long dental appointments.

NOTE:

This article is not discouraging clients from receiving dental treatment.

Such treatments can be an important part of our lives and respectful dentistry can assist

with your mouth health and can provide dental treatment when needed.

The purpose of this article is to highlight the amount of stress that our bodies may navigate

when going through certain dental interventions

and how relevant it becomes to take care of ourselves.

You will find the dentist that is right for you... A respectful dentist will understand if you need more comfort, or need to rest from a certain position.

If you have a dental concern, you should check with your dentist.