Gurnee Dentists Dr Ira L Shapira and Dr Mark Amidei attended the American Academy of Craniofacial Pain Meeting in Indianapolis. "TREATING TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT INTERNAL DERANGEMENTS" They are well known for their treatment of TMJ Disorders, Sleep apnea, and Neuromuscular Dentistry
Dr Ira Shapira and Dr Mark Amidei recently attended the Academy of Craniofacial Pain meeting in Indianapolis. In addition to expanding their considerable knowledge in treating TM Joint Disorders and Headaches their company I HATE CPAP LLC presented information to members about Dental Sleep Medicine


    /Golf News Articles/ - GURNEE, IL, August 05, 2008 - Dr Shapira has been treating TMJ disorders and chronic pain and headaches for over 28 years and has been practicing Neuromuscular Dentistry since the early 1980's. His partner Dr Mark Amidei joined Dr Shapira 16 years ago. While they are still a general dental practice they have focused on cosmetic reconstruction and the treatment of chronic pain, headaches and sleep disordered breathing for many years. They have more than 45 years of combined experience placing and restoring dental implants. They are graduates of the renowned Las Vegas institute the premiere center for cosmetic dentistry.

The meeting they attended presented some very important information much of which is still pending publication. Dr Terrance Spahl presented a lecture on the Trigeminovascular Reflex and Migraine. The Trigeminal nerve is the fifth cranial nerve and it is also referred to as the dentist's nerve. It is currently thought to be the primary nerve relating to migraines. The science of migraines and Temporomandibular disorders is a combination of anatomical, physiological and biochemical complexity. While TMJ disorders were long thought to be a separate disorder it is now recognized they can be responsible for central sensitization of the brain leading to hyperalgesia where noxious stimuli lead to an exaggerated pain response. In layman's terms the system is hot and it takes very little to overheat and set off migraine. Many patients experience Allodynia where a stimulus that would not normally be painful can be acutely sensitive and painful. Dr Spahl discussed the biochemical basis of how nerve compression could cause secondary hyperalgesia.

Dr Annika Isberg discussed more real world scenarios in her lecture "BIOLOGICAL BASIS OF TMJ PAIM: AN UPDATE" She gave examples of how nerve entrapments could to adult onset lisping in addition to severe pain and reviewed how nerve blocks can be used in the differential diagnosis of difficult diagnostic problems.

She also presented information on how Craniofacial pain can be the only symptom of cardiac ischemia in a patient. A recent study showed 6% of patients only symptom of cardiac ischemia was craniofacial pain and one third were myocardial infarctions. Another 32% of the patients had craniofacial pain concomitant with pain in other regions. Craniofacial pain was the dominating symptom in patients not exhibiting chest pain. It was not arm pain as expected. "The most common craniofacial pain locations were the throat, left mandible, right mandible, left tempormandibular joint/ear region and teeth." It is important to consider cardiac ischemia in the differential diagnosis of toothache.

Dr Shapira is a Regent and Fellow of the International College of CranioMandibular Orthopedics and is their representative to the TMD Alliance. He is a Charter member the Sleep Disorder Dental Society that became the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine as well as a founding member of DOSA the Dental organization for Sleep Apnea. Dr Amidei and Dr Shapira are co-founders of I HATE CPAP LLC a company dedicated to informing the public about the dangers of obstructive sleep apnea and about how Dental Sleep Medicine is offering alternatives to CPAP. Their website http://www.ihatecpap.com is the premiere site for information about dental sleep medicine. They are helping thousands of patients from across the United States find help with their treatment of Sleep Apnea. Dr Shapira and Amidei were sponsors of The American Academy of Craniofacial Pain meeting and their company had a booth. Their Strategic partners are Hamilton/Saunderson Advertising of Seattle and Page 1 communications from Denver.

Dr Shapira is a former assistant professor at Rush Medical School in the Sleep Service and he is the Dental Editor of Sleep and Health Journal the largest patient oriented journal on sleep medicine. He teaches a series of dentists from around the US who come to Gurnee to take his Dental Sleep Medicine course.

Dr Amidei and Dr Shapira have recently begun offering Pure Power Mouthguards. They have been shown to dramatically increase strength without steroid use and are acceptable for use in all sports. Professional athletes are utilizing them to increase their strength and balance and recreational golfers and other amateur sports enthusiasts are utilizing them to improve their games. More information on pure power mouthguards can be found at: www.thepurepoweredge.com/.

Pure Power mouthguards are based on the same neuromuscular dental procedures that treatment of TMJ problems and headaches employ. Headaches and chronic pain are at the opposite end of the spectrum from maximized physical performance. More information on neuromuscular dentistry can be found at http://www.ihateheadaches.org.

Dr Shapira is also the founder of Chicagoland Dental Sleep Medicine Associates and is opening offices in Schaumburg and Skokie in August. Additional locations will soon be found throughout Chicago and suburbs.

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Ira Shapira
Sleep and Health Journal
Section editor/author
1810 Delany Road
Gurnee, Illinois
USA 60035
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