DentoPedia

By: Patricia Woloch
 

Neuromuscular dentistry helps people who suffer from TMD, or Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, sometimes called TMJ. TMD begins when an individual’s bite becomes misaligned. This misalignment, called ‘malocclusion’, can lead to a host of painful symptoms that range from mild to severe:



· Headaches / migraines

· Neck and jaw pain or stiffness

· Facial pain

· Tooth loss

· Teeth clenching, grinding and pain

· A feeling the jaw has ‘locked’

· Clicking or popping sounds in the jaw

· Ringing, hissing or buzzing of the ears

· Eye pain, pressure or sensitivity

· Problems swallowing or a tight feeling in the throat

· Neck, shoulder and back pain

· Numbness/tingling in arms or hands

Neuromuscular dentistry diagnoses and treats TMD, while keeping cosmetic aspects of your teeth and gums in mind.

To diagnose TMD

Dentists specially trained in Neuromuscular Dentistry use sophisticated computer analysis and muscle relaxation techniques. It is very important to choose a dentist who has this special training and experience, as well as access to the most advanced diagnostic equipment, because diagnosis is a delicate and precise procedure that cannot be done using traditional methods of observation.

Neuromuscular Dentists use computerized equipment to:

· Record the jaw joint sounds

· Record and analyze jaw muscle activity

· Record and analyze electrical activity in the jaw muscles

With that detailed data as the basis, your dentist can begin to develop the treatment plan that is best for you.

The goal of TMD treatment

The goal is to align your bite. To do this, the relaxed jaw position discovered during the diagnostic stage must be made permanent. Each person’s treatment steps are customized, and may include:

· Use of an orthotic, worn at night, to prevent tooth grinding while you sleep or to help retrain the jaw muscles

· Dental work to reposition or recontour teeth

· Use of a TENS unit to help keep the jaw muscles relaxed (a small unit with electrodes which deliver mild electrical stimulus to the muscles)

· Orthodontic work to realign teeth

· Surgery to reposition the jaw joint’s cartilage pad (which should cushion the bones against each other when the jaw moves)

In this era of modern, high-tech dentistry, nobody needs to live with the painful symptoms of TMD.

Take the first step towards effective treatment by scheduling an initial consultation with neuromuscular dentist, Dr. Doolin or Dr. Haddad.