Abstract
Introduction:
One important issue in dentistry is achieving the optimal bite. However, construction of such an optimal bite can be achieved only if the physiological position of the mandible is determined in advance. Consequently, the status of the jaw bones in which the teeth are embedded is naturally an issue for bite of the lower and upper teeth. Positioning of the mandible bone signifies not only its position as suspended by muscles relative to the cranium, but also encompasses the hyoid bone, cervical vertebrae and clavicle, and is closely involved in the function of the thymus, which plays a central role in immune function.
Object:
The Bi-Digital O-Ring Test (Omura, Y., 1977-2004, hereunder “BDORT”) is applied to find a method of most accurately determining the position of the mandible.
Methods:
Applying a basic application of BDORT, namely the fact that muscle strength increases when the physiology of the body is increased, the position of the mandible is guided and determined at the position at which muscle strength according to BDORT is strongest both horizontally and vertically.
Applying an exceptional application of BDORT, namely the fact that unlike other organs, when the thymus is indicated and its physiology increases muscle strength is reduced to a minimum, the position of the mandible is guided while indicating the thymus and determined at the position at which muscle strength according to BDORT is weakest both horizontally and vertically.
Results:
When mandible position was determined using a basic application of BDORT (muscle strength increase) in Method 1, the results were favorable during examination or on the same day, but upon re-examination on the same day or during a subsequent visit re-adjustment was often required.
However, when mandible position was determined using an exceptional application of BDORT (muscle strength decrease) in Method 2, accuracy was much greater than in Method 1, and re-adjustment was required in very few cases upon re-examination on the same day or during a subsequent visit.
Moreover, reports from patients also revealed a reduced rate of stomatitis and fewer incidents of everyday infection (such as colds), so there were not only changes in immune function but also improvements in physical condition.
Discussion:
Various devices are employed in the testing methods used in constructing accurate bite and determining the physiological position of the mandible, but all these devices are large, elaborate and expensive and take time to operate. Today, BDORT has become essential in dentistry as a method of achieving the optimal bite, which is a critical issue in dental treatment, and as a method which can test accurately, immediately and in a short period of time at the chair side.
Even if BDORT is used, however, it is likely that the basic application of Method 1 is applied in the present situation. Under these circumstances, there are cases in which the weakest finger (finger 1-5) cannot be opened even when pulled with the strongest finger group (fingers 1234) if the position of the mandible is simply shifted from the wrong position to a physiologically compatible position. If this is accepted as satisfactory, it simply means that the situation is better than before and does not mean the finally determined position has been achieved. To improve the accuracy, reliability is achieved by pulling the fingers after first applying a load of a substance harmful to the body (such as 100 g of Hg or 10-20 units of local anesthetic, which are available in dental offices), but this does not always produce satisfactory results upon examination during a subsequent visit
However, this presenter has been reporting that in patients whose muscle strength does not decline even when the thymus is indicated because thymic function is reduced, the physiology of thymic function can be increased and muscle strength reliably reduced simply by guiding the mandible into the proper position. By applying this fact using the exceptional application of Method 2, in which mandible position is tested using the optimal physiology of the thymus as the indicator, it was possible to achieve favorable clinical results such as those described above.
However, trying to find the correct mandible position using only the exceptional application of Method 2 from the beginning is complicated and time-consuming, making it difficult to obtain the cooperation and acceptance of the patient. My recommendation is therefore that a physiologically sound mandible position can be achieved in a short amount of time by first using the basic application of Method 1 to position the mandible in the proper direction, and then using the exceptional application of Method 2 as a method of checking and improving accuracy.
Since one difficulty of the exceptional application of Method 2 is measuring the weakest point of muscle strength, it is important not only to pull open the strongest finger (finger 1-2) with the weakest finger (1-5), but also to pull the strongest finger group (fingers 1-234) with the weakest finger (1-5) as a confirmation.
At present, although favorable results can probably be obtained in most cases in clinical dentistry by a combination of these two methods, the basic application (muscle strength increase) and the exceptional application (muscle strength decrease), nonetheless the body is a strange thing, and as the living conditions of patients become more and more complicated, stable clinical results cannot be achieved for patients in all circumstances. I believe that further creative efforts will be needed in the future to achieve a more physiologically accurate position of the mandible.
I must also report that through combined use of an exceptional application (muscle strength decrease) as well as a basic application (muscle strength increase) of BDORT during the same time period for the same purpose, not only did the patients’ understanding and acceptance of BDORT increase dramatically, but so did their faith in BDORT.
Conclusion:
It is still difficult to get all patients visiting the clinic to understand BDORT, which employs changes in muscle strength to investigate the physiology of the body. Under these circumstances, through combined use of an exceptional application of BDORT (muscle strength decrease) which uses the physiology of the thymus as the indicator in addition to a basic application of BDORT (muscle strength increase) during the same time period as a method of achieving optimal bite, which is an important issue in dentistry, we were able not only to achieve favorable clinical results but also to improve patients' faith in BDORT.
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