Natural Balance Dentistry™/Neuromuscular Dentistry for the equine
Natural Balance Dentistry ™ focuses on evaluating the whole horse, considering asymmetries, posturing, freedom of movement and muscle developments. It will help your horse find, restore and maintain correct anatomical alignment and stability of the inciors, molars and the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).
“ Let the head lead the way and the body will follow”
Natural Balance Dentistry™ Objectives:
- Provide optimal occlusal relationship and alignment of the incisors and molars anatomically correct for the individual horse
- Create and sustain stability, balance and guidance to the TMJ
- Decompression of the temporomandibular joint including cranial nerves and muscles
- Restoration of optimal posture of the head and neck, thus, directly influencing the linear connection of the 3 junctions that affect the horse´s whole body: Poll-atlas, Neck-shoulder-withers, Hind-end junction
As a natural balance dentist, I take the time to identify and follow the individual ´s anatomy, respect the horse ´s age and appreciate how all parts harmoniously play together in the body.
Natural Balance Dentistry™ aims to restore the harmonious relationship between the incisors, molars and the TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint) to provide stability, balance and guidance.
With muscles and teeth properly aligned the horse can benefit from optimal neuromuscular, proprioceptive and biomechanical performance.
This is associated with improved posture and muscle development, increased stride length and fluidity of body movement, resistance to injury, improved mastication, better digestion and increased tooth life.
When the TMJ is not centred, the jaw moves in an “vertical only” motion, causing excessive points and edges to develop, time after time again.
Natural Balance Dentistry™ helps restore balance to the TMJ in a correct, anatomical alignment by maximising occlusal surface-to-surface contact to allow full range of motion to the jaw while maintaining incisor and molar table angles and anterior and posterior guidance to the mandible.
“ The quickest way to success, is the slowest way for the horse “(Spencer LaFlure, CEO and founder of original Centre for Natural Balance Dentistry™)
Incisors first ? Why ?
- Incisors are the point of beginning and the most important part of a horse’s dentition.
- They support and guide the TMJ, which in turn influences how a horse will move and stand.
- The horse’s individual structure must be taken into consideration, and the teeth balanced accordingly.
- When the incisors allow for complete lateral motion and anterior/posterior motion, the horse’s whole body will also have a full range of motion!
- The mechanism of the body is set up in such a way that the head leads a movement and the body then follows
Observations/Results of Natural Balance Dentistry/NeuroMuscular Dentistry:
- increased body/muscle mass
- improved stride length
- increased sense of awareness of the position of the parts of the body (proprioception)
- corrected postural changes
- decreased TMJ sensitivity
- a more calm, relaxed behavior
- general condition of buoyancy and freedom
- improved mastication and digestion
- increased tooth life
The message for any horse owner is:
“ Get it right the first time”.
By putting the Natural Balance Dentistry™ objectives into practice, you help your horse to achieve and maintain natural dental balance, enhancing overall movement and performance and reducing negative tension retained in the body.
You are setting your horse up for success and less work will need to be done over time to maintain the balance and health of your horse.
To learn more about Natural Balance Dentistry™, visit www.neuromuscularhorsedentistry.com