The London School of Financial Orthotropic is started in 1983 to teach the practical and theoretical skills of Orthotropic therapy. It is the oldest teaching centre in the world aimed at affecting facial growth. The school aims to teach treat and research the orthotropic philosophy. Orthotropics is a form of natural orthodontics and defined as the science of influencing facial growth direction. Orthotropics- aims to change oral posture, muscle function and the balance of the lips and tongue to improve the development of the face and cure malocclusion and the associated problems. At the London School of Facial Orthotropics there are series of courses to introduce dental and orthodontic professionals the concept and problems associated with “incorrect” facial growth and different methods to change facial growth.
What is Orthotropics?
Orthotropics originated as an alternative to conventional (contemporary) orthodontic therapy, aiming to be preventative, non-extraction, and non-surgical, dealing with improving the growth of the face and jaws. There was concern that conventional orthodontic practice used mechanical approaches, to correct a biological problem and that, at times, this could retract both upper and lowers jaws, leading to a downswing in facial form. Also it was felt that moving the teeth was treating the symptoms of the problems and no focusing on the causes. Orthotropics was developed an a biological approach, based on identifying and then trying to influence the causes of the problem. The primary goal of orthotropics is to improve facial form and the position teeth are considered less important.
What is orthotropic dentistry ?
Orthotropics is a branch of dentistry that treats misaligned bites (malocclusions) by correcting oral and head posture. Learn more about which children may benefit from this treatment and how an orthotropic specialist helps to correct tooth alignment.
Information for Adult Patients:
Orthotropics has traditionally been used exclusively for children, usually under the age of 9. It is a system of guiding growth and without growth it was difficult to affect the shape of the adult facial skeleton. However there has been intense pressure over the last few years to provide solutions for adults.It has been observed that adult faces are quite susceptible to damage from inappropriate orthodontic treatment or changes in the muscle strength from problems such as strokes. Also experimental work such as Harold’s showed that when an uncomfortable wedge of plastic was sutured to the roof of the mouth forcing the tongue to be lowered the maxilla dropped at the same rate in adults as growing monkeys. In addition the work of Dr Dean Howell, an osteopath in the California, Dr Yasu Mitani, a dentist in Tokyo, Eva Fraser, a facial trainer in London, and DrTheodore Belfor, a dentist in New York, all suggested that some change was possible. Since orthotropics was clearly gaining some stunning results in children, the search is now on to modify the method and concept to reproduce these changes in adults. The problems are not insurmountable and we are making good progress. One of the problems has been that adults are understandably reluctant to wear the training appliances for the required 20 hours a day, and it is harder to teach an old dog new tricks. As any physiotherapist can attest to, changing posture or muscle tone in an adult is an exceptionally difficult undertaking.
However, an underlying premise within orthodontic theory is that function follows form and that posture follows function. So if a rapid and notable change in form can be gained, that allows a change in posture to stabilise it a permanent change will have occurred. If this could be repeated several times by an individual committed to changing their oral and body posture then it may be possible for larger changes to occur.
The team at the LSFO are currently recruiting exceptionally keen individuals that want to make a significant change in their facial appearance. This is no easy undertaking and is requiring a mixed approach from several different professionals to gain these changes.
School History:
The LSFO is the oldest teaching centre in the world aimed at affecting facial growth, set up in 1983 by Professor John Mew. Initially the school was at Foxley Lane but in 2006 it moved to Pampisford Road, Purley, South London to provide education for Dentists, Orthodontists and ancillary workers about the science of Orthotropics. Students were introduced to the concept that although facial growth and development is genetic, it is also guided by the posture and actions of the soft tissues of the mouth, especially the Tongue, Lips and Cheeks, as well as the opposing dentition. Orthotropics is a form of natural orthodontics and defined as the science of influencing facial growth direction (correct growth, Ortho-straight or correct, tropics- growth). This science aims to identify and affect the causative factors of malocclusion and associated symptoms.Initially several series of one day courses and week-long courses were held for overseas students. Several of these students went on to set up their own teaching centres and have been largely responsible for the concept of Orthotropics spreading to America and later on to many other countries around the world. Subsequently the London School of Facial Orthotropics held a number of courses in Europe, America and the Far East. Interest gradually spread with more and more people including Dentists and Orthodontists keen to learn about orthotropic treatment. Currently the School has become a major teaching centre providing a range of practical courses.
