I recently got Invisalign™ to correct misalignment of my teeth. My dentist noticed that I have four teeth with bone loss due to my bite being off. I was willing to go ahead and see if this would help prevent future issues. So, this has led me down a rabbit hole because I am my own best experiment.
I also have a curvature of my spine called scoliosis. I have seen many people unaware they have a mild scoliosis. The body does a good job of compensating to these curvatures since most people don’t realize they have them.
I remember as a kid and young adult that I always ended up with pants that had one leg longer than the other. It was so frustrating. I would take the pants and measure the legs and they were the same length (how?). It wasn’t until I went through my Massage and Structural Integration training that I realized I had scoliosis and that curvature caused my right hip to jut up and take my pants with it. Today, I do not notice this issue as my hips are much more even and my scoliosis is well-compensated due to being Structurally Integrated, having regular SI tune-ups and practicing Iyengar yoga which encourages balance and symmetry in my body.
After my dentist pointed out my misaligned teeth and jaw, which is shifted to the left, I realized that my jaw is following the left rotation of my torso and pelvis. You can say, well, the jaw is not connected to the spine, so how can it be affected? Actually, there is a sheet of connective tissue that runs from the pelvis to the jawbone on the front of the spine. So, if there is a rotation in the spine tissue connected to it, it will be pulled along in the same direction. I have had my Invisalign™ for two months now, and since I have been Structurally Integrated and am highly aware when my body is ‘off,’ I am noticing changes all over my body.
Two months ago, I finished the 10 series on a client, and she got Invisalign™ just as we finished. She came to see me the other day and had a lot of discomfort in her neck, shoulders and even in her feet. I realized that the changes in her mouth were cascading throughout the tissue in her whole body. We did one tune-up session and she walked out the door completely released of her discomfort.
The point to my story is to be cognizant that a child or adult getting braces or Invisalign™ could see shifts throughout their body. I have another seven months to go with my Invisalign™ aligners, and I’m interested to see what could happen with my scoliosis and the rest of my body.
If you have had braces in the past and feel as though they may have created strain in other areas of your body, contact me for a free Structural Integration consultation. These issues can be freed up, so you are more functional and comfortable in your body.
By Gwen MacLean for Living Balance Clinic
