The Solomon Protocol
After 38 years of treating patients with complex dental, bite, and TMJ problems, Dr. Sid Solomon has learned that successful treatment is not only about what a dentist does. It starts with choosing the right doctor, understanding the real problem, and protecting as much of your natural anatomy as possible.
A Smarter Standard for Choosing Your Doctor and Protecting Your Health
The Solomon Protocol is a patient-first approach built around five simple rules.
Not every dentist, or every doctor, has the same training or experience. If you have TMJ pain, bite problems, worn teeth, headaches, facial pain, or a complex dental condition, choose a doctor who regularly diagnoses and treats that specific problem, not someone who only occasionally offers the treatment.
And when symptoms seem unrelated, it is completely natural to see different specialists. Ear symptoms may lead you to an ENT. Headaches may lead you to a neurologist. Neck pain may lead you to a physical therapist. Tooth problems may bring you to a dentist.
Those are reasonable places to start.
But if you have seen multiple doctors and your symptoms continue without a clear explanation, it may be time to ask whether those symptoms are connected.
Do not rush into treatment simply because it was recommended. Ask questions. Understand the diagnosis. Learn why the treatment is being suggested, what alternatives exist, and what will happen to your teeth in the process.
Before moving forward with treatment, patients may also try simple at-home measures such as applying heat, gentle jaw exercises, massage, or stretching when appropriate. Paying attention to how your symptoms respond can provide useful information about whether muscle tension, jaw movement, or other functional factors may be contributing to the problem.
A good doctor should be able to take that information into consideration, explain the treatment plan clearly, and show you why it makes sense.
Pain is information.
Grinding, headaches, jaw pain, tinnitus, ear discomfort, worn teeth, facial tension, and even neck discomfort may appear to be separate problems. But in some patients, several symptoms may be influenced by a larger functional issue involving the teeth, bite, jaw joints, and muscles.
The Solomon Protocol looks beyond where you feel the symptom to investigate where the problem may actually begin.
This becomes especially important for patients who have already seen an ENT, neurologist, dentist, physical therapist, or other healthcare professional but are still searching for an explanation.
Dr. Solomon’s goal is to educate patients about connections they may never have been shown before and determine whether the way their bite and jaw function could be contributing to their symptoms.
Healthy tooth structure should be preserved whenever possible.
Dr. Solomon believes dentistry should not unnecessarily sacrifice healthy enamel or aggressively shave down teeth simply to achieve a cosmetic result.
His philosophy is simple: Function first. Cosmetics follow.
Before changing how the teeth look, Dr. Solomon wants to understand how the bite functions. When the bite, jaw, and muscles are working from a healthier foundation, cosmetic dentistry can then be planned around that function.
The goal is not simply to create beautiful teeth. It is to create a smile that looks good because it works well.
Treatment is only one part of long-term health.
Exercise, movement, posture, sleep, stress management, oral hygiene, and taking care of your teeth all matter. The best dental treatment should support a healthier life. It should not replace healthy habits.
Dr. Solomon can diagnose, educate, and provide treatment, but maintaining the result is a partnership. What you do every day matters.
The Solomon Rule
Measure first. Understand the problem. Restore function. Preserve what is healthy. Then consider cosmetics.
Dr. Solomon’s approach is shaped by nearly four decades of dentistry, TMJ care, gnathology, neuromuscular diagnostics, full-mouth reconstruction, and treating patients whose problems were often more complicated than they first appeared.
Using technologies such as K7 and J5 neuromuscular diagnostics when appropriate, he can evaluate how the jaw, muscles, and bite function rather than relying on appearance alone.
The objective is not to start with a procedure.
It is to understand what is happening before deciding what, if anything, should be changed.
Function First. Cosmetics Follow.
Function → Stability → Cosmetics
One of the most important principles of the Solomon Protocol is the order in which dentistry should happen.
Dr. Solomon does not begin by asking only, “How can we make these teeth look better?”
He first asks: “How should this bite function?”
A smile can look beautiful and still have an unhealthy bite underneath it. If the functional foundation is ignored, changing the appearance of the teeth alone may not address the underlying problem.
Dr. Solomon evaluates function first. Once he understands the relationship between the teeth, bite, jaw, and muscles, he can determine how cosmetic improvements fit into the bigger picture.
The cosmetics should follow the function, not fight against it.
You Have Seen Other Doctors. What If You Still Don't Have an Answer?
When you experience several symptoms, seeing several doctors makes sense.
You go to the appropriate specialist for what you are feeling. Ear problems? You may see an ENT. Headaches? You may see a neurologist. Neck discomfort? You may see a physical therapist. Tooth or bite problems? You see a dentist.
But what happens when you have done all of that and you are still experiencing symptoms?
That is where education becomes an important part of Dr. Solomon’s approach.
He helps patients step back and look at the bigger picture. Instead of viewing every symptom in isolation, he evaluates whether there may be a relationship between the bite, jaw joints, muscles, teeth, and the symptoms the patient has been experiencing.
For some patients, that connection may help explain why previous approaches did not provide the relief they were looking for.
The goal is not to tell you that every symptom comes from your jaw.
The goal is to investigate, measure, educate, and help you understand whether your bite and jaw function are part of the problem.
Before You Say Yes to Dental Treatment, Ask Yourself
Dentistry Should Work With Your Body, Not Against It
The Solomon Protocol is ultimately about making informed decisions.
Choose your doctor carefully. Understand your diagnosis. Ask questions. Look for connections. Restore function first. Protect your natural teeth. Then consider cosmetics.
And take responsibility for the daily habits that influence your health.
Because the goal should never be simply to do more dentistry.
It should be to do the right dentistry, for the right reason, at the right time.
