Albertville and Guntersville, AL
Dental issues are not always restricted to one’s teeth or even mouth. It is common for people to be unaware that their dental issues could be the blame for other pain and discomfort felt throughout their body. Neuromuscular dentistry focuses on the alignment of the jawbone and joints. Believe it or not, but an unbalanced bite may cause stress on the jaw joint, known as the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), and the surrounding muscles of the face. If left untreated, pain may begin to radiate into the neck or back, and could be linked to headaches or even migraines. When pain persists in the TMJ region, this is known as a TMJ disorder.
Why see a neuromuscular dentist?
Primary care physicians often misdiagnose TMJ disorders. Even a dentist that only practices conventional dentistry may not be specially trained to diagnosis or treat TMJ disorders. A neuromuscular dentist uses both conventional and holistic approaches to dentistry, specifically in the diagnosis and treatment of TMJ disorders.
How can neuromuscular dentistry help me?
Neuromuscular dentistry does more than reduce or eliminate your pain. It focuses on bringing your bite into proper alignment, which in turn, provides relief to strained muscles and ligaments of the mouth, jaw, and face. If you are experiencing ringing in the ears, pain in the jaw, head, or neck, you may have a TMJ disorder. Neuromuscular dentistry may be the dental treatment you need to help you become pain-free from your symptoms.
How are TMJ disorders diagnosed?
Dr. Renfroe and Dr. Conley of Wall Street Dentistry use a combination of methods in diagnosing TMJ disorders. First, they will evaluate your dental anatomy by examining your bite and considering any symptoms you may experience. Sometimes, use of a K7 device is necessary to track and record the mandibular function and face muscle status. The device is painless, and it fits around your head and uses electrode patches that temporarily adhere to the jaw region of your face. The purpose of the K7 device is to evaluate your jaw tracking, electromyography, and joint sonography. The purpose of this machine is to aid in the detection and severity of the patient’s TMJ disorder. The device will scan your jaw movements and transmit the data to a computer for the dentist to analyze. Then, a TENS unit is used to bring the jaw muscles into a comfortable position. The way the TENS unit works is through transcutaneous electrostimulation of the jaw muscles, which provides relaxation, increases blood flow to oxygenate the muscles, removes lactic acid build-up, and removes muscle memory. You may wonder what all this means, in other words, TENSing provides relief to your jaw muscles similar to a back massage. It also allows the dentist to determine a comfortable muscle position for your jaw and jaw muscles. After the TENSing process, the K7 device is used again for additional analysis to ensure a comfortable position of your jaw muscles has been reached.
How are TMJ disorders treated?
Once the dentist determines the proper positioning of your jaw, he can design a specially made orthotic device to hold your jaw in alignment. This device is made of clear plastic material that is custom made, removable, and comfortable to wear. Patients may need to wear their orthotic device only at night or sometimes, during the day except while eating or drinking beverages. Your dentist will be certain to discuss with you the treatment plan, how to wear and care for your orthotic device.
How can I get started with treating my TMJ disorder?
If you experience any pain or symptoms associated with TMJ disorders, do not hesitate to contact Wall Street Dentistry for a consultation. Dr. Renfroe, Dr. Conley, and the staff at Wall Street Dentistry understand TMJ disorders can affect the lives of many patients, even causing debilitating pain for some. Do not continue living in pain any longer, there is hope. Wall Street Dentistry welcomes patients from the Albertville, Boaz, and Guntersville, AL areas.