Dental Medicine Patient Research

Male in his mid-sixties with a history of fainting when he walked uphill. He had been examined by multiple physicians and undergone X-rays, MRI, and EKG with no abnormal findings. In a phone interview, he mentioned that before he passed out he would develop pain in his ankles, knees, and hips—a sign that there was possibly a trigeminal nerve component to his fainting (trigeminal nerve modulates pain perception in the brain). An examination was recommended.

When he presented to the office, observation showed a very large jaw malalignment caused by orthodontic extraction therapy when he was a teenager. A 4 mm tall mouthpiece was made for him which gave him immediate relief. He reported a significant improvement in memory within about 1 week.