tmj therapy
do you suffer from:
- Review the symptoms you are having
- Examine the complex relationship between your teeth, jaw joint, and the masticatory muscles (chewing muscles)
- Capture a CT Xray of your TMJ joint (that will be sent to a radiologist through a radiology report)
This information will allow her to give a diagnosis of TMJ (the dysfunction of the temporomandibular joints) and plan a therapy that is tailored specifically for you.
Schedule Your TMJ Evaluation
- Jaw Pain
- Morning Head Pain
- Headaches
- Neck Pain
- Clicking or Popping of the Jaw
- Locking of the Jaw Joint
- Facial Pain
- Pain in or around the Ear
- Ringing of the Ears
- Vertigo Dizziness
- Difficulty Biting
- Unexplained Tooth Sensitivity
- Muscle Spasms
- Clenching or Grinding
More About How We Treat the Temporal Mandibular Joint (TMJ)
NMD goes beyond the habitual one dimensional bite and considers the entire relationship between the teeth, joint and the muscles to find the optimal relationship between the skull and mandible. Different muscles are used for posturing the jaw at rest, opening and using the jaw to chew and bracing to swallow hundreds of times a day. When the teeth, joint and muscles do not work together in harmony, a patient can experience facial pain, joint pain, postural issues, and some of the symptoms listed below.
The muscles controlling the movements of the jaw have been habitually programmed by the brain. If the mandible is not able to rest comfortably to the upper teeth, the muscles with accommodate this and close in an abnormal pattern causing improper stresses and fatigue. Over time this can cause the joint to compress resulting in a pinched disc or permanent arthritic issues of the joint.
Traditional Dentistry is one dimensional; focuses on the teeth and occlusion.
Nueromuscular Dentistry (NMD) follows anatomy, form and function.
When in disfunction or pain, the TMD patient has a hard time knowing where a comfortable place to rest the jaw is. To help relax the muscles that aid in head/neck posture and occlusion, a Myomonitor is used. The Myomonitor or tens helps to establish the true relaxation of where the joint, muscles and teeth are most comfortable. The Myomonitor delivers a safe, Ultra Low Dose frequency electrical muscle stimulation through adhesive patch electrodes attached over nerves that control specific muscles groups. This stimulus sends an involuntary contraction to the muscles to deprogram the habitual posture of the mandible that has adapted to the incorrect or offending bite and head/neck posture that is causing pain.
This helps the NM dentist find and record a true resting jaw position for the patient. Then with that information and use of digital impressions of your teeth, we are able to construct an orthotic to adjust how your lower jaw rests against your upper teeth. This orthotic may be worn as an intern step or as a more permanent solution for your TMD issues depending on your diagnosis.
also known as Smilelase, is a laser-assisted procedure developed for patients two and older to improve health and function while reducing pain and relieving the impact of trauma. OraLase improves health by accessing the emotional (limbic) system during the healing process to enhance treatment results. Because of this, patients may spontaneously smile during or after treatment and the results may be greater than traditional laser treatment. OraLase therapy primarily targets pain and inflammation reduction and increased blood flow, but there are several secondary benefits, including release of trauma and increased ability to process changes that support recovery.
OraLase
This procedure was developed by Dr. Darick Nordstrom with the goal of increasing patients’ quality of life while simplifying treatment plans for dental teams. OraLase, not to be confused with Low Level Laser Therapy, uses FDA approved technology without any known adverse effects. The procedure includes a biologically safe coherent infra-red light delivered through a specially designed handpiece. This delivers a medical grade dose of healing energy through a thin fiber that transmits the light from laser to patient without any physical touch.
BOTOX® is increasingly being used as an innovative therapy for TMJ disorders and associated jaw tension, effectively reducing discomfort, facial pain, and chronic headaches resulting from teeth grinding. It can also alleviate instances of lockjaw during periods of high stress. By inhibiting the intense muscle movements that often unconsciously occur and cause pain, BOTOX® delivers relief to many individuals. The treatment involves a simple, non-surgical procedure done in a medical office, with patients typically noticing improvement within a few days, although some may require a week to feel the full effects. While it's frequently used in conjunction with other TMD therapies, BOTOX® can be effective as a standalone treatment for specific symptoms.
therapeutic botox
Botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) specifically targets and temporarily paralyzes muscles by blocking neurotransmitter release. Studies show that BTX-A injections into the masticatory muscles can alleviate conditions like bruxism and TMD symptoms such as joint sounds, pain, and disc displacement, improving jaw function for up to six weeks. Reviews emphasize BTX-A's role in pain reduction for TMD patients, suggesting its efficacy in treating TMD-related symptoms, especially those associated with masticatory dysfunction.