Problem: Dizziness and Fainting
Solution: Orthotic
Maria wrote out her story for our website. I’ll let her tell you her background:
I’d had such painful experiences prior to coming to Dr. Sid’s office that it had been literally more than 10 years since my last major dental work. My teeth were not only stained, but I had lots of cavities, cracks and gum disease. Some teeth were even rotten.
The first thing I still remember is Dr. Sid’s gentle smile, light touch, and most of all, his patience. He knew right away that I was scared and that I would most likely not be coming back unless he could win my trust. To my surprise, he did not focus on my teeth, but instead inquired about the fainting spells I’d mentioned.
You see, for over 12 years, I had been living with dizziness and fainting spells, which had a pattern of recurring about four to six times a year. The episodes revealed themselves not only with a lightheaded feeling, but also with a sinking sensation that terrified me. Frequently, I would end up passing out cold. My dear husband and family had all gone through these frightening moments about every two to three months.
I had been seen by medical doctors who told me that my blood pressure was lower than average and my dizzy spells could be attributed to this. However, my family noted that during my dizzy spells my blood pressure was actually 10-15 hg higher than usual.
Now suddenly, Dr. Sid, a dentist, was speaking to me about my missing teeth causing a forward shift on my upper teeth, affecting my inner ear and sense of position. I could hardly believe my ears! The way he explained everything to me was very clear and simple. Dr. Sid made no promises, but did suggest an orthotic device made to fit my lower teeth which would bring my teeth, jaw, face and Tympanic-Mastoid segment in my ear into alignment.
Everything made so much sense. My sister, who is a dentist, was fascinated to hear about this new kind of dentistry and advised me to proceed as recommended. She said that Dr. Sid had already done everything possible to save my other teeth and had taken so much time to explain things thoroughly (Dr. Sid had even invited my sister to discuss my case) and I was given a wide number of resources. All of this, as well as the results, have produced a profound professional respect for Dr. Sid.
The final result was my individual orthotic device, which was molded just for me. And WOW! Now it has been well over a year since I first started wearing my device (only at night) and I am free of my fainting spells. Dr. Solomon is a dentist who makes both the fear and the anxiety of a dental visit turn into an experience I truly will never regret!
Treatment: We made a custom orthosis for Maria to correct her bite and treat her dizzy spells and fainting. Once we had tackled that, we moved on to her cavities, cracks, and gum disease. For the gum disease, we did a major periodontal cleaning, which involved a root scaling and planing. For the cavities we did composite fillings. For the cracks, we did an onlay restoration.
End Result: Maria’s smile looked beautiful, and most importantly, she felt safe and healthy now that she wasn’t experiencing fainting spells.
Dr. Solomon lives in Los Angeles, California with a beautiful family. He is proud of his successful career, as well as a highly energetic and athletic life outside the office. He has played soccer every Saturday morning for the past 25 years. “No matter what kind of week I’ve had, I’m up at 6:30 a.m. to drive to Rogers Park and kick the ball around for a few hours with my friends. My wife jokes that it’s my slice of the single life. Thankfully, soccer keeps me healthy, happy, and it keeps me young. I can only hope and pray that I am able to continue to play regularly for as long as I’m alive,” says Dr. Sid Solomon DDS.