Intensive surgery. Broken jaw. Mouth wired shut. Feeding tube. No other option. This was the diagnosis Janet Weatherbe, a patient of Dr. Michael Tilghman, heard from a previous dentist. What could require such drastic measures? An accident? Assault? What about an underbite? That’s right, an underbite! Who would think a condition many of us have would require such radical treatment? Yet, Weatherbe heard this assessment years ago. “I had an underbite. My previous dentist told me I needed an operation that would move my jawbone and require my mouth be wired shut for eight weeks. I didn’t want to do that, so I went to Dr. Tilghman for a second opinion. I’m happy I did. He saw me as a person, rather than a subject, and listened to my concerns. He found a way to fix my underbite with braces so that I would avoid major surgery.”
Weatherbe is not alone. Over the past 10 years, Tilghman, a board-certified orthodontist, has helped numerous Delmarva residents transform what was once a source of discomfort and reservation to a source of pride. Combining innovative, but proven patient care in the midst of state-of-the-art offices in Salisbury and Berlin, Tilghman continues to blaze a trail in the field of orthodontics. One look at his patients is proof enough.
The opposite of Weatherbe, Patti Miller of Ocean Pines, Md. had a deep overbite. “My overbite was so severe there was a real possibility I would grind down my front teeth to the point of non-existence,” she said. By leveling off and balancing her bite, Tilghman redistributed the force of her bite to prevent future damage. “Thanks to Dr. Tilghman, I am confident about the well being of my teeth. They were efficient and organized. I would highly recommend him and his staff to anybody, including my family.”

“Thanks to Dr. Tilghman, I am confident about the well being of my teeth."

— Patti Miller

(Pictured left: Patti Miller. Pictured right: Patti Miller's daughter Kristen)

Kelley Barbe agreed. As one of the patients Tilghman treats in partnership with the Johns Hopkins University Cleft Palate Clinic, Barbe fully appreciates Tilghman’s orthodontic expertise. At a recent check up, the JHU staff informed Barbe that her orthodontic treatment was “amazing” — they could barely tell she had a cleft palate!
Rob Kunzig wasn’t surprised; he only had to look at the accident that brought him to Tilghman’s and what happened since then to believe Barbe’s transformation. A while back, Kunzig suffered a severe head trauma. Tending to seven facial fractures, Tilghman, along with his father Dr. Donald Tilghman, performed a realigning of the four quadrants of Kunzig’s mouth. The results have been rewarding. “It’s amazing feeling my bite come back together. In 50-plus years, my teeth have never looked this good,” Kunzig proclaimed.
With a common sense approach to orthodontics, Tilghman offers a complimentary initial consultation during which the patient will be examined and provided with a recommended course of treatment. In addition, dental benefits will be assessed and coordinated to develop an affordable payment plan. A dedicated member of the community, Tilghman has always made his top-quality service affordable for all patients by offering budget-friendly, interest-free payment options. Payments can be spread over the length of treatment with a low down payment. In these economic times, such payment options reinforce what many have observed in Tilghman: a continuing commitment to this community and his profession.

To schedule a complimentary initial consult in the Salisbury office at 1324 Belmont Ave., call
410-742-4813; for the Berlin office, at 9956 N. Main St., Unit 1, call 800-433-8863.

Written By: Eduardo Gonzalez