This webinar will provide a complete picture on how to use CBCT and MRI technologies to identify, diagnose, and categorize patients prior to treatment. There will also be a heavy focus on how to individualize treatment based on TMJ, tethered oral tissue, and airway conditions as well as how to design patient-specific therapy to maintain the health of the TMJ and airway for the long-haul.
Learning Objectives:
1. Recognize the signs of TMJ and disorders in our everyday patients and the role that TMJ disorders play in the development of their malocclusion and airway issues
2. Know when to order appropriate diagnostic imaging, including CBCT and MRI, to diagnose TMJ and airway conditions
3. Categorize patients by risk level pertaining to their diagnosed TMJ, tethered oral tissue, and airway conditions
4. Create patient-specific treatment plans that address TMJ, tethered oral tissues, and airway issues before, during, and after orthodontic treatment/occlusion correction to promote health and stability

Dr. Drew McDonald is a board-certified orthodontic specialist who practices in both Albuquerque, NM and St. Petersburg, FL. His orthodontic practice has a strong focus on temporomandibular joint and airway-focused treatment planning, surgically-facilitated orthodontic treatment, and providing complex interdisciplinary care for patients. He has lectured nationally and internationally on multiple topics.

Dr. McDonald completed his orthodontic residency at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, also receiving his master’s degree for his thesis on sports mouthguard design and effects on muscle forces and joint loading of the TMJ complex. Dr. McDonald practiced as a private practice restorative dentist for three years before receiving his orthodontic specialist certificate.

Sandraluz Gonzalez is a Registered Dental Hygienist and a Certified Orofacial Myofunctional Therapist, who has passionately practiced in the greater Albuquerque area for over a decade. Sandraluz and Dr. Drew McDonald are grounded in a shared passion for all things TMJ and collaborate together to optimize patient care and create protocols designed to improve the overall function, health, and well-being of their shared patients.

Sandraluz is a Breathe Institute Ambassador. She is honored to work with the Breathe Institute in developing research-based protocols for the future of OMD’s. She is also a member and Liaison of the AAPMD (American Academy of Physiological Medicine and Dentistry, aapmd.org)

1.5 CE credits available to AAPMD members