After speaking with Dr. Chan at the meeting at Santa Fe New Mexico, he gave an excellent presentation describing the muscle activity of some of the muscles of mastication and the tracking device that records the movements of the mandible. But as his presentation started, he gave me credit for much of his gnathological teaching and asked that I stand up and be recognized in the meeting. Unfortunately I was so embarrased to be called on that I completely lost my head and didn't say anything. What I later wished I had said was "Who corrected your bite Clayton?" Which would have elicited his answer, "You did". This would have given me the opportunity to ask, "So why do you teach neuromuscular but your own bite is a gnathological organic occlusion bite? Isn't that a bit hypocritical?"

I consider his friendship very important to me and will always respect him. Sometime later I spoke with Clayton on the phone, 12-9-2010, to see if his bite was still as I corrected it in March of 1994. He said that his bite was still the same but he didn't believe it was as good because he had  tested it with "neuromuscular" techniques recently. Nevertheless it hadn't been changed.  I asked him why he had changed and had chosen a false doctrine over the tried and true use of Centric Relation. His reply seemed defensive and not well thought out, "There were too many follow up corrections that took too long." There was never an admission or that "organic occlusion" always works, yet he had it for 16 years.

In 1994 I was teaching a class on how to do an occlusal correction. My office was my class room. I had about 8 students one of which was Clayton Chan DDS. He was very excited to learn this technique and volunteered to be a subject to demonstrate this procedure. As is common practice, I took beginning models of his mouth and with a quickmount whipmix facebow and a centric wax bite, mounted his models on a whipmix 8500 articulator. Then in front of the class did the correction with a bardparker #15 blade to where centric relation matched centric occlusion. Then while everyone watched did the correction in his mouth. His case was a typical 3 millimeter slide forward from centric relation to centric occlusion. He was pleased with the result as was the class watching. Because his case was so typical I had his models made into permanent moulds to be poured up to duplicate the models for future classes. I have kept the original models and have used them many times since.

Several months went by and I wanted to touch base with him to find out how he was doing. I couldn't reach him at his original office and was told he was not in private practice anymore, that he had joined the LVI clinic. He had become an instructor there and was totally immersed in teaching neuromuscular techniques. I talked with him and he invited me to come and visit the clinic which I did. He had become world famous by this time to my surprise.

Time went by to 2007 when he was a guest speaker at International Academy of Gnathology at Santa Fe New Mexico. This was the biannual meeting of the Academy and I met with Clayton prior to the meeting and urged him not to downgrade the important subject of gnathology and of course all the tried and true concepts thereof such as centric relation which neuromuscular advocates don't believe in. While talking with him, I asked how his bite was since I had done his correction. His answer is still vivid in my memory as he clicked his teeth together stating "nobody is going to mess with this bite"

I was trying to excape from my hospital 3 day stay. An experience I didn't enjoy but was impressed with because of the amazingly good food and very efficient care. I was greeted by an unfamiliar nurse that explained that she was the discharge nurse assigned to me for that purpose. She began by saying "Oh, I see that you are a dentist". "Yes ma'am" I replied "for the last 60 years".

Then she began to tell me a familiar story that I had heard  over and over again. "I have been having some needed dental work done and the last work caused me to experience a locking of my jaw." "I can only open about half way". She demonstrated this by opening as far as she could. (about half way) She could eat and brush ok but it bothered her. She added that her lower jaw was numb on the right side and wouldn't wake up. She described going back to her dentist who sent her to an oral surgeon. He explained that the disc in her joint was out of place and that she should wear a night guard to correct the problem. This would cost $500. She didn't really like this problem and couldn't afford any extra stuff like this. I asked if any X-rays had been taken and she said no.

Trying to help her with a few words, I said "You should read my book called TMJcured. You can order it through Amazon.com or this blog. It explains the proper bite and treatment for TMJ which you probably have. Instead of wearing a splint or nite-guard, you can wade up a piece of cotton about the size of a pencil eraser and put it between your teeth on either side which reminds you to not close your teeth together. You can wear it all night with a little practice and you won't swallow it or choke on it. This will save $500. and is a very easy way to do the same thing that the splint or nite guard does. You need to keep your teeth apart to prevent the torque on the joints that a slight malalighnment produces.

At this point we finished the paperwork necessary to check me out and she exclaimed how happy she was for the information and said "I knew I was supposed to come to work today just to see you". She was overjoyed and thanked me profusely. I could have explained more to her about the commonly prescribed splint therapy but I decided to let her read about it in my book.

 

 

 

You have heard of the "liberal press" ? Well we have it in dentistry also. When I finished my book explaining the term "organic occlusion" I thought that the combined thinking of the professional TMJ authorities as expressed in the publication of "Cranio" should have a look at my book. I believe that there is mass confusion on this subject and wide seperation of belief about occlusion. So I called Allen J. Moses, DDS of Chiago Ill. and chatted with him about my book and the present status of occlusion. He was very cordial and agreed with me that there was no consesus of opinion about occlusion. Since he was the book review section editor I thought he would be fair and review my book. I sent a copy which he sent back almost immediately with a hand written note clipped to the inside cover stating "Philip, We are light years apart philosophically. I cannot objectically review your book. Good luck, Allen". 

To say the least I was surprised that the book came back so soon, indicating that no one read it or possible read enough to totally disagree with it. I have read through the years the beliefs of Harold Gelb DDS., one of the leaders of this conglomeration of so called tmj dentists as listed in the front of every copy of "Cranio". They seem to hide from public outcry for real help by the "quick and easy" perscription of splints. I think the profession is afraid of learning what good occlusion is, namely organic occlusion.  If you have a poor bite, an open bite, a bite that doesn't coincide with the rearmost hinge position or any other malocclusion, there will be torque on the tm joints. Depending on your resistance that strain can cause tmj. What is so hard about that? That is why my book is based on the simple fact that "fixing the bite is the answer".

I am totally amazed at the complete vacuum of replys by the profession. I mistakenly thought that the profession would be up in arms with objections to my story of gnathology and the proper fit of the bite. So far I haven't heard a word from the leaders of scientific journals like "Cranio", ADA journal, and the likes. These journals don't want anything but complete bibliographies and double blind studies. All are very scientific, boring.and difficult to find a real meaning. When you scan the articles for content, you find subjects like "Evaluation of the Oral Flora in Patients suffering from Pain". A great article in the science world but difficult to relate to my TMJ. I know we need the science to validate TMJ, but they are usually far too detailed. The articles on occlusion seem to be not inclusive enough.