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TMJ / TMD
Neuromuscular Dentistry

Creating a healthy, comfortable bite

Neuromuscular Dentists can realign your bite and resolve your TMJ / TMD symptoms. To put it simply, neuromuscular dentistry places the jaw into its optimal position, relieving the symptoms associated with TMJ. While traditional dentistry evaluates primarily the teeth, bones, and gums, neuromuscular dentistry works with the hard tissues and the soft tissues, muscles and nerves.

Neuromuscular dentists understand that your hard and soft tissues have a complex relationship and work to make that relationship a harmonious one. Neuromuscular dentists understand the necessity for including the power source (muscles) and the controls (nerves) which create the movement, pressures, and function of the mouth.

When the jaw is misaligned, both the hard and soft tissues are affected and many physiological problems can result, such as headaches, jaw pain, neck and shoulder pain, tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, and clicking or popping sounds in the jaw joint. In a number of cases, these symptoms are the result of TMJ (temporomandibular joint syndrome), also referred to as TMD (temporomandibular joint disorder) or MPD (myofascial pain dysfunction).

TMJ / TMD is a chronic degenerative disease that often takes years to develop. TMJ affects millions of people. People who suffer from TMJ have an imbalance in the jaw-to-skull relationship, which is caused by a bad bite (malocclusion). Neuromuscular Dentistry serves to correct the bite and realign the jaw. First the dentist determines the optimal position of the jaw by measuring the relaxed position of the head and neck muscles, and then repositions the jaw to achieve those exact measurements.

Malocclusion is relatively easy to correct. Treatment options include adjusting the bite, orthotics, orthodontics, or restoring the teeth to their correct positions. Patients of neuromuscular dentistry experience a range of benefits from decreased or eliminated pain and discomfort to better overall health and longer-lasting dental restorations.

Neuromuscular dentistry uses computerized instrumentation to measure the patient's jaw movements via Computerized Mandibular Scanning (CMS) or Jaw Motion Analysis (JMA), muscle activity via electromyography (EMG) and temporomandibular joint sounds via Electro-Sonography (ESG) or Joint Vibration Analysis (JVA) to assist in identifying joint derangements. Surface EMG's are used to verify pre-, mid- and post-treatment conditions before and after ultra-low frequency Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulator (TENS). Combining both computerized mandibular scanning (CMS) or jaw motion analysis (JMA) with ultra-low frequency TENS the dentist is able to locate a "physiological rest" position as a starting reference position to find jaw relationship between the upper to lower jaw along an isotonic path of closure up from physiologic rest position to establish a bite position. Electromyography can be used to confirm rested/homeostatic muscle activity of the jaw prior to taking a bite recording.

Once a physiologic rest position is found, the doctor can determine the optimal positioning of the lower jaw to the upper jaw. An orthotic is commonly worn for 3-6 months (24 hours per day) to realign the jaw, at which point orthodontic treatment, use of the orthotic as a "orthopedical realigning appliance", overlay partial, or orthodontic treatment and/or rehabilitation of the teeth is recommended to correct teeth and jaw position.

 

Am I a Candidate ?

You may be. In fact, anyone can develop neuromuscular problems. If you experience even one of the following symptoms, you are a candidate for neuromuscular dentistry:

Symptoms

  • TMJ ( temporomandibular joint syndrome )
  • Headaches or migraines
  • Sinus problems
  • Tinnitus ( ringing in ears )
  • Unexplained loose teeth
  • Worn, chipped or cracked teeth
  • Cracking, chipping or breaking dental restorations
  • Pain or soreness around the jaw joints
  • Pain in teeth that seems to move around
  • Stiffness or soreness in the neck, shoulders and back,
    sometimes radiating down your arm to your fingers
  • Snoring
  • Vertigo ( dizziness )
  • Clicking or grating sounds in the jaw joints
  • Limited movement or locking jaw
  • Congestion or stuffiness of the ears, or subjective hearing loss

some parts adapted from Wikipedia and/or NeuromuscularDentistry.com
reviewed and edited by Dr Bixby

 
 

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