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About Dr. Jonathan Ziv, DDS
Cosmetic Dentistry in Agoura Hills, California
"Having had an accident and taken a nasty
blow to the back of my neck, I was on 8 pain tablets a day,
suffering migraines and frequenting the ER on a regular basis
for injections to counter my pain. Desperate, I'd even had 2
operations to burn the nerves at the base of my skull.
Having been referred from one physician to the next, I got to a
point where I would do anything to relieve the pain. It was my
granddaughter's orthodontist who referred me to Dr. Ziv.
Delighted I was able to arrange an appointment the next day, I
was amazed Dr. Ziv knew that the symptoms I was suffering in my
head and neck were caused by my poor bite. Discussing the entire
procedure with me, he said he could potentially lose about 90%
of the pain.
In December, I started treatment. The treatment began with the
monitoring of my facial muscles by contacts placed on my head
and neck, and connected to a computer program, which Dr. Ziv
used to determine where my bite should be. He then made an
orthotic appliance for me to wear. The experience was completely
pleasant - there was no pain involved. I was given a blanket and
was made to feel totally relaxed.
Within three months of treatment - a regular appraisal of my
bite and adjustment to the orthotic appliance - I had 75% less
pain. I had my last injection for pain way back in January and
stopped taking painkillers mid April. Having located the ideal
position for my jaw, Dr. Ziv then restored my teeth with
porcelain veneers, so that my bite would remain aligned without
the need to wear the orthotic appliance. There was no pain at
all, and my headaches completely subsided. Throughout the
experience, I was completely taken care of. There was no rush,
and everything was clearly explained.
All along I was blown away thinking that all of the critical
pain I had been experiencing could be attributed to the fact
that my bite was off. Indeed, the procedure even cured my
fibromyalgia - a condition that had been diagnosed after my
accident, had been considered incurable by a rheumatologist and
led to a maximum of 45 minutes of sleep a night. I now get eight
hours sleep.
Without question, this was the best money I ever spent. It's
taken at least ten years off of me. My eyes now sparkle and
everyone comments on how beautiful my smile is."
- Joyce Coert, Grandmother, Westlake, CA
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"I was suffering from the most severe
migraines, so severe that I was under heavy sedation and in pain
almost 24/7. I had consulted with physician after physician, the
majority of which told me I was experiencing pain on account of
a "psychological condition". I didn't believe it. Boy did I not
believe it and knew this was something physical.
I originally approached Dr. Ziv for the purpose of having
cosmetic work done on my front teeth. As a former beauty queen -
I had given up my career on account of the acute pain - I wanted
to look my best on my wedding day. Dr. Ziv was the first doctor
who came to understand the condition that was causing the pain,
the constant migraines and ample drug taking - as many as eight
strong pain killers a day. Understand I was in hell.
I had worn an orthotic before, but the secret this time around
was the painstaking adjustments that Dr. Ziv undertook, all
along knowing that the root cause of my migraines was a
misalignment of my jaw. Indeed, I had had an accident when I was
a kid and I also know that I had a strong tendency to clench my
jaw, particularly in the night.
I had been bedridden with the pain and on account of the
migraines, my appetite was diminished and I was down to
ninety-eight pounds. Desperate, I welcomed Dr. Ziv's advice and
embarked on treatment. With my parent's consent, I used the
money they had otherwise given me to spend on my wedding day.
The first thing that Dr. Ziv noted was degeneration of the left
side of my jaw. I had also been on a course of steroid
injections to fight the inflammation in the side of my jaw -
something else Dr. Ziv attended to. He placed a gadget on my
head that helped determine exactly where my jaw was misaligned.
Once clear, he then made an orthotic. This was when I realized
that the treatment was starting to work…the migraines began to
subside and on account of the diminished pain, within several
weeks I was able to reduce my level of painkillers down by at
least 75%.
Of course I had a setback, but interestingly enough the setback
highlighted just how well the treatment was working. I had gone
for an MRI that had required me to open my jaw for a prolonged
period of time, namely twenty minutes. This had caused
misalignment, which then resulted in returning migraines.
Realigned and out of pain, I now wear a tiny device at night
that stops me from clenching…the result is I have no pain in my
mouth and as a result no more migraines. Thanks to Dr. Ziv and
the wonderful work he does, I'm now busy preparing for a return
to the world of beauty and fitness, training in the gym daily to
build up muscle otherwise lost when my appetite diminished. I
had been in pain for over ten years, excruciating pain that,
through simple, non-surgical realignment, has gone.
The entire experience required me to take responsibility, but I
was met with a sense of team effort and expert guidance along
the way - I intuitively knew I was in safe hands. The biggest
bonus of all: I got to enjoy my wedding day totally migraine
free."
- Cheryl MacNeal, Recently Married, Simi Valley, CA
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"I consulted with Dr. Ziv for cosmetic
dentistry having been referred by one of the girls I work with.
I understood that Dr. Ziv knew about dental art and
instinctively felt in good hands. He replaced one of my caps,
referred me to a specialist for gum surgery and then gave me a
set of beautiful veneers on my top teeth. The veneer placement
took no more than a couple of hours, and once done, completely
covered the darkness and old caps on my teeth. The end result
kind of reminded me of my childhood…many people commented on my
smile. What's more, I felt no pain whatsoever. "
- Alane Dahlberg, Camarillo, CA
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