Dr. Maryam Bakhtiyari D.D.S., DABCP, FAACP, DIBO, FIAO

A Dentist that cares about your well being
A Dentist who doesn’t extract teeth first, before putting braces on patients? Surprising! Would rather see her patients breathe easier than straighfapnten their teeth? Unexpected! Has a treatment for TMJ, snoring, and sleep apnea? Radical and Successful!

Brace yourself (pun intended) for an onslaught of revolutionary ideas in orthodontics and dentistry. Leading the charge is Dr. Maryam Bakhtiyari D.D.S., of Manhattan Beach, specializing in Functional Jaw Orthopedics. She urges patients and medical professionals to consider misalignment of the jaw, as a leading cause of orthodontic (correction of teeth irregularities) problems, TMJ, snoring and sleep apnea, and several other conditions she believes are all related.
Lest you think her innovative, unique orthodontic solutions are just another trendy medical fad, Dr. Maryam’s website showcases video testimonies from patients who claim she’s changed their lives or the life of a loved one. Solid success stories, plus many years of study and advanced degrees have earned Dr. Maryam, as she likes to be called, the distinction as the only female Diplomate of The International Board of Orthodontics. Patients from around the globe seek her treatments and she’s a frequent featured speaker at medical, health and wellness conferences. Spend time with the doctor in her bright, friendly offices, walls dotted with her original impressionistic paintings, and it’s immediately clear you’re in the presence of an amazing woman, doctor, artist; a passionate force for changing the future of orthodontics. What makes Dr. Maryam such a maverick in her field?

From childhood, Dr. Maryam always questioned the status quo, working to uncover the root cause of a problem or symptom. Encouragement in critical thinking and study received as a child shaped Dr. Maryam to become a leader in these innovative healthcare treatments, now widely practiced in the medical community. Innovative treatment for TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint Disorder) Dr. Maryam turns any preconceived notion about TMJ treatment on its ear. Literally! Most of us wouldn’t think of getting treatment from a Dentist for a medical condition that affects children and adults alike, with such symptoms as ringing in the ear, clicking, popping, dizziness, jaw, neck and facial pain and migraine headaches.

She explains how problems occur when the movable lower jawbone, or Mandible, is out of alignment with the fixed upper jaw. The Mandible gets pushed back, presses against the eardrum behind it, causing the symptoms mentioned. More serious is that the pressure can block the airways and constrict blood flow to the brain. To remedy this disorder without drugs or surgery, Dr. Maryam creates custom orthopedic retainers to eliminate muscle pain by stabilizing the jaw in the correct position.

Treating Snoring and Sleep Apnea

If you or someone close to you snores, you’re probably not getting a great night’s sleep. You’re also not alone; in the company of 75 million fatigued Americans. 18 million of these snorers also suffer from undiagnosed sleep apnea, a more serious condition where the tongue falls back into the airway while sleeping, obstructing the air supply. Snoring and sleep apnea, as with TMJ, are far more serious than most people think. Many have died from these undiagnosed disorders. With her custom oral airway appliance, Dr. Maryam treats snoring and sleep apnea, where traditional oxygen treatments fail. This successful treatment is not the least of this doctor’s talents. There’s more.

Holistic Approach to Orthodontics and Well-Being

Dr. Maryam doesn’t hesitate when asked the philosophy of her practice, “…Non-invasive, anti-surgical, anti-extraction. Let’s open the airways.” She sidesteps the traditional course of treatment that handles the problem of crowded teeth with extractions, followed by braces. Dr. Maryam believes there’s a better method. She adopts a holistic approach, looking at what’s really causing the symptoms, focusing on the airways, breathing, bite and blood supply to the brain.
Her research and experience show these factors can cause conditions like mouth breathing, migraine headaches, mental fogginess and depression, a depressed immune system, compressed cervical spine, stroke and the problems of TMJ, snoring, sleep apnea, already discussed. Not to mention crooked, crowded teeth. Dr. Maryam’s innovative orthopedic appliances first align the upper and lower jaw, followed by braces, if necessary. Almost immediately, most patients breathe better and feel relief from headaches and other ailments. The natural result of treatment is overall well being—just as vital as their new, beautiful smile. Leafing through a book of heartfelt thank-you letters from patients, it’s clear her method gets results. “Within a few months…I wasn’t waking up in the middle of the night with headaches or shoulder pain…Perhaps one of the most surprising and positive changes I experienced was in my emotional health.”

Passion for Patients… Passion for Change

This dedicated doctor is passionate about preventative treatment for everyone. She’d like to evaluate children as young as five years old, to check their airways, observe their breathing, jaw growth and development, so problems can be averted early. It’s her mission and ultimate future goal to prevent health problems by making jaw and airway checks a standard screening procedure in schools every year, starting in Kindergarten. She wants to take her patients beyond braces to overall well being. Listening to the strong determination in Dr. Maryam’s voice, one just knows she’ll succeed. Dr. Maryam wants to spread the word that early treatment of the jaw is the best defense in preventing a crowded mouth, TMJ, snoring and sleep apnea. A multi-talented woman and compassionate doctor, Dr. Maryam is an inspiration to the lives of those she touches.