A Time of Wonder
Addendum and Commentary
A TIme of Wonder
Alexis Ffrench
I wonder if a new medical paradigm is emerging?
Dentistry and Orthodontics have grown exponentially…and so has controversy. This awareness affects other specializations as well: pulmonology, otolaryngology, neurology, orthopedics, myofunctional therapists and speech and language therapists.
The orthodontists Drs. John and Mike Mew’s last name has transformed into a verb! ‘Mewing’ has created a gateway into contemporary ‘internet viral’ awareness with ‘ how to widen the palate’ for treating a plethora of dysfunctions: sleep apnea, TMJ (temporomandibular joint dysfunction),crooked teeth (malocclusions), and facial aesthetics.
Mewing with its emphasis on the Swallow and the Tongue has opened the doorway into the world of the Cranial Osteopath.
The ALF Approach INTEGRATES
The ALF Approach integrates…not only the integration of emerging ideas in the world of orthodontics but also the functional and fascial integration of the whole body. This process and understanding is outlined by Tasha Turzo, DO in her revolutionary book where the Swallow and the Tongue assume a critical role. Facial development with fascial integrity elevates the successful outcomes that can occur with treatment.
The first goal of the ALF is to promote a functional swallow. The gentle ‘tongue’ massage on the maxillary (palatal) midline suture with a functional swallow assists in facilitating and stabilizing the subtle motion of the cranial mechanism. Therein lies the Orofacial/ALF interface within the osteopathic paradigm of cranial motion and the world of orthodontics.
The CRI (cranial rhythmic impulse) assumes a new significance not only in osteopathic medicine and orthodontics but also potentially in the world of neuroscience. The rapid development of the newly-recognized Glymphatic System intersecting with sleep expands the understanding of neurodegenerative diseases. These investigations highlight the potential significance of the Cranial Rhythmic Impulse as well as the newly recognized significance of the swallow and the muscle we call the Tongue.
The Denial, the Dispute, the Disconnect and the Disrespect unfolds.
There needs to be Dialogue and Discussion –
on behalf of Patients, Doctors and Scientists.
Medical potentialities and possibilities abound.
– One Patient –
One Long Medical Journey
A LifeTime – Fifty Years and Counting
In the NOW of 2024
This website is emerging with up-to-date information in an evolving and rapidly-changing world of information surrounding orthodontics and facial development. The Cranial Concept adds another dimension and perspective in this arena.
What’s happening today with our children?
Palate expanders replacing braces may help to avoid the breathing/sleep apnea issues created with tooth extractions and palatal narrowing. What happens to whole body functionality, however, when only the orofacial component is addressed?
There are obvious and subtle repercussions when the maxillary midline suture of the palate is ignored and compromised with surgery, expansion or restriction. Based on the extremes of my personal history, until The Cranial Concept is recognized and integrated into these current practices, there will continue to be adverse response and lawsuits by some patients undergoing maxillary expansion, especially with the adult population venturing into this territory that previously was the realm of children.
Paradox
How did my palate expand 9 millimeters in 6 weeks with only hands-on osteopathic treatment when a maxillary dental appliance was removed? There was no surgical intervention or medication. The inherent motion of the body at the maxillary suture was no longer restricted. With proper recognition of this problem and skillful palpation my body began to recover. This experience erased any doubt or question in my mind that this motion ‘exists’ and that the body has untapped potential for recovery and healing.
Today’s procedures are different: ‘forward’ facial development and growth is acknowledged and palate expanders are replacing braces. Mandibular advancement, however, continues to be practiced. Treating sleep apnea rather than TMD has become a norm (temporomandibular joint dysfunction) in spite of the documented damage that can occur to the TM joint!
The time is opportune for change and for new perspectives to be recognized and integrated into the medical model. The implications are far-reaching when the CRI (cranial rhythmic impulse stimulating subtle motion between sutures) is recognized in orthodontics and facial development as well as neuroscience and the Glymphatic System
