Dr. Ladesic, iHATEheadaches Blog

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2010-04-12T15:10:00.001-05:00

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Take the Bite Out of Pain

2010-03-24T20:48:00.006-05:00

Many of you have seen a chiropractor or continue to see a chiropractor for the treatment of headaches and neck pain. Many patients that I treat have sought me out or have been referred by chiropractors that have come to understand that their well intentioned adjustments just don't hold for very long or at least long enough for you to feel that the problem has been corrected. I tell these patients and practitioners the problem is they have to "take the bite out of pain", like the old ad..."take a bite out of crime".
Immediately after an adjustment, especially a cervical(neck) adjustment, you will swallow. in fact you will swallow approximately 2000 times per day. If you have a normal swallow your teeth will come together. If your bite is not correctly aligned it will alter the posture of your head and begin to undo the chiropractic adjustment.
I would recommend working closely with a neuromuscular dentist to help correct your bite, coordinate treatment with your chiropractor and get long-lasting resolution to your problem.
If you or someone you know suffers from similar ear noise, headaches, or other TMJ related symptoms please contact me by email ( info@waterlooheights.com ) or call our office at 608-786-0909.
Dr. Ladesic is a general dentist with special interests in treating snoring and sleep apnea as well as the use of neuromuscular dental science. He is the only dentist in the Tri-State and River Valley area certified to provide the PPM(Pure Power Mouthgaurd) for enhanced athletic performance.

Oh When the Saints Go Marchin' In

2010-02-08T21:38:00.003-06:00

At Waterloo Heights Dental Center in West Salem, WI (15 min. from LaCrosse) we use neuromuscular dentistry to provide area athletes of all levels improved strength, balance and flexibility using the PPM (Pure Power Mouthguard).
The technology used to develop the New Orleans Saints mouthpieces was originally designed to treat TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint) dysfunction, headaches as well as head, neck and shoulder pain.

The PPM was developed by Dr. Anil Makkar (http://www.makkaradvantage.com), also a neuromuscular dentist trained at the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies(http://www.lviglobal.com). Many amateur, as well as Olympic and professional athletes are using the PPM to increase their performance.
Dr. Ladesic is a general dentist with special interests in treating snoring and sleep apnea as well as the use of neuromuscular dental science. He is the only dentist in the Tri-State and River Valley area certified to provide the PPM.

What's That Noise?

2010-02-08T19:23:00.009-06:00

A local woman was unable to find relief for a heart beat sound in her left ear even after testing and treatments by medical doctors, including internists and an ENT physician. After viewing http://www.ihateheadaches.org she consulted with me at Waterloo Heights Dental Center in West Salem, WI. After reviewing her medical and dental history neuromuscular screening tests were performed and she was given an oral orthotic. Within days the woman began to have some relief, then with minor adjustments to her orthotic mouthpiece over the next month she found complete relief from the noise. She called our office hours after the final adjustment stating "I can't stop smiling, I feel like dancing, the noise is completely gone"! As an added benefit, the constant pain and stiffness in her neck and shoulders, as well as intermittent minor headaches disappeared.
If you or someone you know suffers from similar ear noise, headaches, or other TMJ related symptoms please contact me by email ( info@waterlooheights.com ) or call our office at 608-786-0909.

You Can Help. . . or BE HELPED!

2010-02-06T22:26:00.005-06:00

Is it someone in your life whose spark of life . . .(the joy) has gone out of their eyes? Do they seem to be in pain constantly? Are they crabby or short? Are they not as friendly or warm as they once were. . . or are they constantly on the move, but popping Advil, Alieve, Tylenol or even prescription medications? Do they brush off the mention of problems as just a part of living, just getting older or even worse . . . "that's just normal for me".

Could this person be the one that stares back at you from the mirror? Has your energy level been sapped by your attempts to deal with your frequent headaches, the incessant stiffness in your neck and shoulders? You don't sleep well. You don't feel rested even after a full night's sleep. You're tired of the pain, tired of the battle, tired of the doctors without answers.

Are you frustrated because you can't be the mother or father you need to be for your children, you can't be the spouse you'd like to be. Are you missing out in life?

If this is you or someone close to you, a spouse, a parent, a child, or a friend there is hope. As neuromuscular dentists we do not have all the answers, but we can help fill in pieces of the pain puzzle that others have missed.

50 Years of Headaches

2010-01-25T20:17:00.003-06:00

One of my first patients was the mother of one of our team members. This woman had been a nurse and had headaches almost daily since she was in her 20's. It wasn't until we get a dental exam, I think it was for broken tooth( not the first) that obvious signs of dysfunction were apparent. She had a high narrow palate, deep bite, crowded severely worn front teeth, and missing back teeth. These were only the observable signs. She then gave us her symptoms: constant stiff neck and shoulders, lower back pain, 'sinus problems', ringing in the ears, vertigo, and frequent almost daily headaches.

Now in her early 70s, the headaches had somewhat diminished after going through menopause. at that time( almost 10 years ago) experience was much less than the present, so I worked with Dr. Shapiro on her case. She completed her initial scans and splint( orthosis) placement with him. Her daughter told me that her mother called her from the parking lot just after receiving her orthosis and said "I think this is bull-shit". fortunately, when she woke up the next morning without a headache and was pain-free she was convinced. After about three months and resolution of her symptoms her teeth were restored to her new job position. She not only had a beautiful smile and smile behind her teeth.

Her daughter had begun to understand their mother was not the main, stern person she thought her to be growing up that person who had been constantly wounded by pain. Let me ask you a question...

2010-01-25T20:04:00.002-06:00

My interest in TMJ dysfunction began in college when I was preparing to apply to dental school. I did extra projects in the anatomy lab and regularly scrubbed into surgical cases at a nearby hospital. The interest continued through the 8 years serving in the U.S. Navy Dental Corps.

In 1995, I was blessed by being hired as an associate dentist with Dr. Ira Shapira and Dr. Mark Amidei in the Gurnee, Illinois. Dr. Shapira was treating patients for TMJ dysfunction, snoring and sleep apnea. I saw Dr. Shapira treating patients that had been through the gambit of the medical system: physicians, physical therapists, chiropractors, massage therapists and even other dentists not trained in neuromuscular dentistry. These patients had been through x-rays, scans, spinal taps, adjustments, acupuncture, all types of supplements, and many many medications.

Unfortunately none of their previous treatments had truly resolved their issues, but through neuromuscular dentistry these patients were starting to live more normal lives and the sparkle was beginning to return to their eyes. I was excited by what I witnessed, but also a little nervous. It would be a lot to learn and relearn in order to treat similar patients. In my opinion, neuromuscular dentists are a different type of doctor with training that goes far beyond what is taught in the majority of dental schools. Yet, I decided this would be the path in dental medicine that I wanted to follow.

I spent the next eight years working with and being mentored by Dr. Shapira, observing him treat patients and receiving the benefit of his 25+ years of experience as I began treating my own patients. He also encouraged me to become a member of the International College of Cranio mandibular Orthopedics( ICCMO). Dr. Shapira, Dr. Amidei and myself began to train at the LasVegas Institute of Advanced Dental Studies(LVI) which has become the premier institute for training in neuromuscular dentistry. I now own my own practice, but Dr. Shapira continues to be a very close friend and an incredible mentor. I practice at Waterloo Heights Dental Center in West Salem, WI (15 minutes from across). I practice with another nueromuscular dentist Dr. Chuck Flume. Dr. Flume is also an instructor at LVI.

Although I continue to practice general dentistry, the focus of my practice and my professional passion is treating headaches, TMJ dysfunction and sleep apnea. My spirit is constantly lifted when I see patients who come to our practice with tired and empty eyes. As they start to find the missing pieces in their pain puzzle I love to see the spark of life come back into their eyes.

Welcome!

2009-09-22T14:06:00.001-05:00

Welcome to the Wisconsin neuromuscular dentistry blog for Dr. Kevin Ladesic. Please check back for additional posts.