A man who suffered crippling back pain since childhood is hoping that straightening out his teeth could help get rid of his condition. Martin Hedley, of Upholland, Lancashire, had to deal with bouts of back pain that made it impossible for him to get out of bed but after having his chewing motion assessed by an expert he was told that dental treatment could be the answer.
Mr Hedley researched the problem online and found that uneven teeth and a jarring chewing motion can cause tension in the skull that may lead to neck and back pain. He realised that shooting pains were more noticeable during mealtimes and he revealed to MailOnline that ‘Hard foods would be more painful than soft foods. It doesn’t matter if it’s a piece of concrete or a grape; it’s the actual motion of bringing your teeth together. If you’ve got distortion when they come together, it will affect the rest of your body.’
The process involves orthodontics and adding overlays to the teeth to make them more even; the pioneer of the treatment, Dr Gerald Smith, based in Philadelphia, began working on Mr Hedley’s teeth two weeks ago in the US. Mr Hedley is hopeful that the treatment will give him his life back after feeling like he has been unable to function properly for six years. So far, he is happy with the results, saying ‘It’s not instantaneous but I can feel my bite is a lot better.’