A letter from Phil M.

My dentist of many years, Dr. Michael J. Racich, has restored gum health to my mouth and repaired damaged and deteriorating teeth and fillings. He recently undertook to completely balance my mouth -- with unanticipated and unbelievably wonderful consequences.

I have what Dr. Racich calls a "deep bite." My lower jaw is quite recessed, and the teeth on the lower left side up to the last two molars are uplifted and squeezed inward toward my tongue. However, apart from periodontal (gum) disease many years ago (mid-1980s), I have never had serious problems with my mouth or its bite. I've worked as a CBC Radio announcer and school- teacher, and as a city planner I do a lot of public speaking. In this work, apart from dry mouth (solved after learning a trick in a public-speaking course), I've not had any mouth problems. I have not had TMJ symptoms (no pain, no popping sounds, no headaches), just some evidence of theeth- grinding and occasional teeth-clenching -- and my teeth doing a lot of "tippy-toes" as Mike's predecessor, and my previous dentist, the late Dr. Wilred Jeffries, used to say...

After my gums had healed and I had learned better oral hygiene, I felt that I had no more problems in/with my mouth. But then, Mike undertook a minor balancing of my mouth several years ago, after a major filling. This was an amazing experience -- I described the result to close friends like this: "I now have a place to park my mouth!" But further adjustment seemed necessary, and after a second and third balancing, inconceivable to me previously, I was able to "park my mouth in a better spot" and then "to have more than one parking spot!"

This is how things have remained for the last 2-3 years -- as perfect as I could ever imagine and want to be with my mouth (except of course for teeth colour, unsightly metal fillings, uneven teeth, and that deep bite situation). But things were really just fine. I was happy. My smile/lips had evened out now that my lower jaw was no longer parked to the left of centre (which over the years had resulted in the creases on either side of my nose being different from one another). What more could I ask for?

Over the last six months my teeth began to look better and better with what Mike called "smoke and mirrors"-- shaping and white-filling. He filed down a long incisor, and smoothed off a couple of very uneven teeth tops. Beyond this it seemed like some major cosmetic work might now be a worthwhile possibility -- such as braces and lightening/bleaching. Late last year, after replacing two crowns on my left side, one upper and one lower, and replacing fillings in adjoining teeth, Mike felt that a rebalancing was needed. A one- hour appointment was scheduled -- and the results were quite simply amazing!

The objective was to ensure that my lower teeth met with my uppers in a functional and comfortable way -- that there would be several points of contact on both sides of my mouth and that my front teeth would be out of harm's way (some chipping had occurred here and repair work was not lasting for more than a couple of months at a time). Well, I couldn't believe what actually transpired!

It was great to see a much more even row of lower teeth and see how well the bottom lined up with the top. But then there was the incredible difference in chewing food -- both sides of mouth equally! And no tripping over teeth when I slid my lower jaw forward and back. I really didn't need to give attention to how/where I was chewing -- eating had never been like this!

Better than this, and noticeable over the following days rather than immediately, was that my lower jaw relaxed -- really, completely relaxed! It became so relaxed that it stopped its long-time habit of immediately bouncing back up towards my front teeth when I would let it go loose. Now, whether I am walking, talking, falling asleep, I don't have to give much attention to where I put my lower jaw, I don't have to find a parking spot, I can just let it hang there! And this means that the associated musceles have become quite relaxed, more toned, and healthier. And curiously, it's easier to smile. I had read about, and Dr. Racich had told me about, the relief which resolution of TMJ problems can bring to a person. I don't think this was my problem but the rebalancing of my bite had similar impact.

Something which was most definitely not anticipated were some repercussions throughout my body. My head stands taller and more upright. The muscels at the front of my neck, perhaps less tired now and perhaps because of a straighter, longer neck, seem firmer. Could never see my Adam's apple at all but now can see that it's there. Muscels at the back of the neck are less tense and stretched -- and getting stronger. Lately I find myself lifting my rib cage and able to keep it raised effortlessly and without noticing -- I never realized before that I had a collapsed chest!

I could go on and on. It's true what they say, everything is connected to everything but some things are more connected than others. And so the kneebone is indeed connected to the jawbone. Yes, believe it or not, my left knee problem is going away. As a city planner I'm very familiar with a dictum among many of the architectural profession's practitoners that form should follow function, but a planner I know that the design of the best development projects, which have a good fit with their surrounding street- scape and neighbourhood in terms of scale, character, continuity, addresses form before functional and operational considerations. Maybe it's the same with effective and successful dentistry: make the mouth look right and optimal, natural function will follow.

Thanks Mike. You're the best! You're an artist but I have to assume, and know, there is lots of science and dedication which goes into your craft.

Phil M.