Please activate JavaScript!
Please install Adobe Flash Player, click here for download
ePaper created 2016-04-15, 12:06:52 | version 1.38.0
Dental TribuneAsia Pacific Edition | 11/201522 TRENDS&APPLICATIONS Theaimofthisarticleistoofferread- ersinformationonatopicthatisdis- cussedveryrarelyindentaljournals: how tooth position and damage to individual teeth reflect emotional and health status. In 2000, I read a book by French dentist Dr Michèle Caffin, Quand lesdentssemettentàparler(When the teeth talk).1 Because I was most intrigued by the findings of my French colleague, I started to ob- serve these relationships and doc- ument them. I encouraged my patients to talk about their troubles and problems that did not appear tobeovertlydental.Inthismanner, psychosomatic medicine2, 3 has in- conspicuously become part of treatment.Ithelpspatientswhoare healthy biochemically, radiologi- cally, etc., but who still exhibit den- tal problems. In order to avoid constantly flip- ping through my records, I created convenient one-page diagrams mapping the significance of in- dividual teeth. The colours corre- spond to acupuncture pathways.4 The relationship of acupuncture pathways to different groups of teeth will be discussed in Part II of thisarticle.InPartI,Iseektoconvey an unconventional perspective of teeth as a mirror of emotional and health status in patients based on my more than ten years of ex- perience. If we look at the jaws from this unconventional perspective, then theupperjawfirmlyattachedtothe skull represents our wishes (Fig. 1). Particularly its width and regular toothalignmentinthejawindicate that the patient is able to express his or her wishes and therefore communication with him or her willbetrouble-free(Fig.2).Anarrow jaw with incisors and canines in anterior crossbite, in contrast, sig- nifies a passive individual with whom communication will be more difficult. Such difficulties with expressing wishes and feel- ings throughout life are signalled by a complete maxillary prosthe- sis, for example (Fig.3). Thelowerjawlooselyattachedto the skull by the mandibular joint represents our actions. The chin, especially, is a symbol of energy and will. Heroines in novels do not have bird profiles. The right quadrant relates pri- marily to the future and the left to the past. The positive and negative expression of the status of indi- vidual quadrants is illustrated in Figure 4. Regarding individual teeth, the fundamental consideration is the position of the tooth in the dental arch.Ifthetoothislocatedvestibu- lar from the dental arch, the char- acteristic is significant. If the tooth is located orally, is displaced beyond the adjacent teeth, is in anterior cross-bite or is missing, the characteristic is re- pressed. Large areas affected by caries, dental fillings, and pulpless teeth are equally negatively as- sessed. Central incisors represent the maleandfemalefigures:thefather, the right maxillary central incisor; and the mother, the left maxillary central incisor (Fig. 5). People with a prominent left maxillary central incisor (this tooth often overlaps the right one) had and often still have in their adulthood a much stronger maternal influence than paternal influence during their lives (Fig. 6). Once one is aware of this,onewillobservethatthisisvery common. The opposite (a stronger influence of the father) is in the mi- nority (Fig.7). If both of the incisors are aligned symmetrically, it signi- fies the balanced influence of both parents. An example from real life: Figure 8 shows the fracture of both central incisors. It was ultimately necessary to extract the left incisor owing to a root fracture. The pa- tient’sparentsdivorcedandshewas given over to the care of her father by the court and her sibling to her mother. Thus, she lost her mother and symbolically tooth #21. I usually see diastemas (Fig.9) in patients whose parents may live together, but who essentially lead separate lives. Patients with di- astemas usually have difficulties intheirrelationshipwithapartner. Of course, one does not usually gain such information from the persons concerned, but one gains insight into these secret corners of the family when one is a family dentist for many years. Mandibular central incisors (Fig. 10) predicate the importance ofthepatient’sparentsindailylife. The informative value of maxil- laryincisorsis,however,fargreater according to my observation. Lateral incisors represent the temperament of the person and his or her reactions to archetypes (= attitude towards parents; Fig.11). Iftherightmaxillarylateralincisor is in protrusion, it means the per- sonisabletodefendhisorherfree- dom in the family, but is usually in dispute with the father (Fig. 12). Whatdoourteethbetrayaboutus?—PartI By Dr Stanislav Cícha, Czech Republic Our wishes Our actions Right maxilla Left maxilla Right mandible Left mandible Future Past 1 2 3 Our wishes Our actions Express ourselves outwardly + Problem with inclusion in society + Express our feelings Problem with realisation of personal wishes Realisation of concrete matters + Problem with concrete life situations + Focus on our feelings Lack of recognition by and affection from the family Central incisors Father the male figure Mother the female figure Importance of parents in daily life4 5 6 7 8 9 Lateral incisors Temperament of the person reactions to archetypes Right maxilla Left maxilla Right mandible Left mandible Temperament of the person reactions to archetypes 10 11 12 13 14a 14b Canines Our outward presentation of ourselves Our inner attitude to change What we wish to achieve outwardly Expression of our inner transformation All changes a person has undergone 15a 15b 16 DTAP1115_22-23_Chicha 20.11.15 14:38 Seite 1 123 Importance of parents in daily life4 56 789 101112 DTAP1115_22-23_Chicha 20.11.1514:38 Seite 1