Ted
Rothstein, DDS, PhD
Specialist in Orthodontics for Adults and Children
Member American Association of Orthodontics
Founder DPOJW www.drted.com/DPOJW.html
35 Remsen St., Brooklyn, NY 11201
718 852 1551 Fx 718 852 1894 drted35@aol.com www.drted.com
Patent Pending # 60-817245
TITLE
Orthodontic dental jaw wiring, (OJW) a fixed intra-oral device and method to treat overweight, obesity and compulsive overeating by limiting jaw opening thereby preventing ingestion of solid food while simultaneously allowing jaw mobility and minimally impairing speech.
ABSTRACT
Orthodontic/dental jaw wiring is a fixed intra-oral bio-mechanical assembly composed of brackets and fastening wire enabling dentists to suspend a person’s lower jaw in a semi-closed and partially movable position of rest permitting the jaw a range of mobility that minimizes jaw joint stiffening while minimally impairing the patient’s speech and rendering the person unable to ingest other than a liquid diet which when used in conjunction with an accompanying Informed Consent (disclaimer) and a patient instruction guide comprises a method of treatment for obesity.
THE INVENTOR’S INTRODUCTION TO ORTHODONTIC (DENTAL) JAW WIRING
The service of jaw wiring for weight loss had its inception at my office about seven years ago. A patient, 26 years young, who was just about to have her braces removed, asked me if I did the procedure. She told me she had heard about it in Los Angeles, where it is done routinely, she said. She was clinically overweight and had tried many methods without success to bring her weight under control. After much consideration and consulting with a number of medical doctors I agreed to go ahead and wire her jaws together under a carefully supervised program. Since she already had orthodontic appliances on it was relatively simple to wire her jaws together.
Jaw wiring is an easily accomplished simple procedure. It requires bonding/attaching 6 orthodontic brackets (hooks) on each side of the patient’s mouth (3 teeth on top, and 3 on the bottom). Then the patient closes their jaws together into their regular bite position. A wire is lightly woven around the hooks on the left side and tied, and likewise for the right side.
Would-be jaw wired patients are advised to get clearance from their physician before starting. Once the jaws are wired the patient is then restricted to a liquid diet. Speaking is not a problem (try speaking with your teeth together), however, expressions of anger and rage present some difficulty. Shouting is definitely out of the question. They are also advised to always carry with a small wire cutter (nail clipper) so in case of emergency they can clip wire and free themselves immediately. Every four to-six weeks they release themselves for 4-6 days to exercise the muscles of the jaws, and then return to the office for examination, (especially for jaw joint stiffness) cleaning and rewiring.
You might be wondering why anyone would choose to lose weight using this method. Those patients who choose to have OJW have tried all other weight loss methods including prescription drugs without any significant success. They do not have the time/desire to exercise and they are looking for some immediate control of their food intake. In a word, they lack self-discipline and this approach albeit some would describe as draconian, serves to jump-start their desire to see some weight loss.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention, orthodontic dental jaw wiring, represents one of many methods to achieve control of weight, and consequently can be applied to the treatment of obesity, (Body Mass Index 30-40). Jaw wiring is a biomechanical device whose origins can be traced to methods used especially by oral surgeons to treat trauma and pathology.
In the process of treatment for fractured jaws or particular jaw pathologies oral surgeons wired their patient’s jaws together. These patients connected their ensuing weight loss to the inhibition of solid foods by the jaw wiring. Jaw wiring entered the province of dentistry when sufficient numbers of people realized that this method had potential benefits for them since it limits jaw opening preventing ingestion of solid food.
I am told that MTV, a television show extant, featured and help to popularize this method of weight loss in one of its broadcasts many years ago. Extensive dialogue on July 7th, 2006 with staff in the archival tape library of MTV Networks, a division of Viacom, produced no leads regarding the existence of such a tape. Moreover, I have become aware that some type of jaw wiring enjoyed some currency in the dental community in the early 80’s. However, no patents even remotely similar to the current invention could be found.