The Homeoblock™ Protocol
Orthopedic & Orthodontic Airway-Focused Therapy
The Homeoblock™ protocol is designed to address craniofacial underdevelopment for adults, a condition closely linked to jaw dysfunction, airway compromise, and sleep-breathing disorders. Rather than forcing mechanical movement, the Homeoblock™ works with the body’s biology, allowing physiological changes to occur in a controlled and natural way.
Modern lifestyles—soft processed foods, environmental pollution, altered feeding patterns, and chronic mouth breathing—often prevent the face and jaws from reaching their genetic potential. When craniofacial growth is incomplete, the result may include narrow arches, poor tongue posture, compromised airway tone, TMJ symptoms, and sleep-related breathing disorders.
The Homeoblock™ appliance is designed to help restore balance, symmetry, and function by stimulating the body’s innate adaptive systems.
How the Homeoblock™ Works
The Homeoblock™ delivers light, intermittent cyclical forces to the periodontal ligament surrounding the teeth. These gentle signals activate epigenetic responses, encouraging bone remodeling and positional changes within the facial skeleton.
A defining feature of the appliance is its Unilateral BiteBlock® technology, which simulates the functional stimulation once provided by hard, fibrous foods in ancestral diets. This stimulation supports:
● Maxillary and mandibular remodeling
● Cranial suture activation and sutural homeostasis
● Improved jaw positioning
● Enhanced neuromuscular coordination for swallowing and breathing
Over time, these changes support healthier facial development in accordance with each individual’s genetic potential.
Maxillary Remodeling, Tongue Space & Swallowing
Treatment with the Homeoblock™ promotes remodeling of the maxilla (upper jaw), creating improved jaw alignment and increased space for the tongue. When the appliance is worn, swallowing is naturally guided into a physiologic pattern, requiring the middle third of the tongue to rest flat against the palate.
This tongue posture is essential for:
● Proper airway support
● Neuromuscular balance
● Improved breathing during sleep
● Long-term habit formation
Clinically, patients often demonstrate a wider smile, improved facial symmetry, better head posture, and enhanced airway tone as facial and airway development progress together.
Homeoblock™ Is Often Used with the POD™
Moving Beyond the Flat-Plane Night Guard
Flat-plane occlusal guards have been used for over a century to protect teeth from clenching and grinding. In 1908, Viennese dentist Moritz Karolyi described bruxism as “traumatic neuralgia” and linked it to periodontal disease. His early splint design became the template still widely used today.
The POD™ – Preventative Oral Device
In July 2019, the FDA cleared Advanced Facialdontics’ POD™ (Preventative Oral Device) for the treatment of bruxism and TMJ disorders.
The POD™ is a custom-fabricated mandibular appliance that uses Unilateral BiteBlock Technology® to protect teeth and restorations while reducing the destructive forces associated with clenching and grinding.
The POD™ is designed to:
● Protect natural teeth, crowns, veneers, and restorations
● Reduce clenching-related muscle activity
● Help alleviate headaches, jaw pain, and TMJ symptoms
● Improve comfort compared to traditional flat-plane guards
Unilateral BiteBlock Technology®: Why It Matters
Unlike flat-plane night guards—which keep the teeth in constant contact and restrict tongue movement—the Unilateral BiteBlock® design intentionally discludes the dental arches.
This results in:
● Reduced trigeminal-nerve-driven muscular activity
● Decreased jaw muscle tension
● Lower stress on the TMJ
● Improved neuromuscular balance
By reducing the area of tooth contact, the body’s proprioceptive system automatically down-regulates biting forces, protecting the joints and cranial structures. The cranial suture system acts as a natural shock absorber, distributing forces more safely.
Importantly, this design also frees the tongue to move forward, supporting better breathing during sleep—something flat-plane guards often inhibit.
POD™ + Homeoblock™: A Complementary Approach
The POD™ is frequently used in conjunction with the Homeoblock™, especially in patients who clench, grind, or experience TMJ symptoms during craniofacial development.
Together, these appliances:
● Protect teeth and joints during treatment
● Reduce excessive muscle activity
● Support proper tongue posture
● Enhance breathing during sleep
● Reinforce healthy neuromuscular habits
The POD™ is also an ideal adjunct to myofunctional therapy, helping patients establish correct tongue-to-palate posture and functional swallowing patterns. When the tongue rests on the palate during swallowing, it moves further out of the airway—supporting long-term airway stability.
The Homeoblock™ protocol and its airway-centered philosophy were featured in Breathe by James Nestor, who underwent treatment as a patient of Dr. Theodore Belfor—one of the pioneers and mentors behind this approach.
For a deeper understanding of the philosophy, we invite you to watch our in-depth conversation with Dr. Theodore Belfor.
�� Watch the interview here:
