“TMJ” stands for the Temporomandibular Joint in your jaw. It is a very common term that most people have heard of to describe a variety of painful symptoms, but is really a very non-specific term. It was once thought that the source of a lot of these ailments was from this jaw joint. Today we have come to know that there are many causes of head and neck problems that may or may not be related to the Temporomandibular Joint. For this reason, although not as widely familiar, most dentists use “TMD” or Temporomandibular Disorder to accurately describe the condition. You may normally think of a number of these symptoms of TMD as being medical conditions not related to dentistry. In fact, a large number of our patients have been to the chiropractor, ENT, neurologist and internist before we as dentists get involved. I will explain to you why we as neuromuscular dentists are the most qualified to diagnose and treat these symptoms.
Pain or dysfunction of the head and neck is a very common and one that might be resolved very simply or might be very complex and frustrating to treat, depending on the circumstances. The bite very often is a factor in many types of pain or functional problems because of the inter-relationship of the overall musculoskeletal system. Since there is an intimate relationship between the teeth, jaw joints, head and neck muscles, and head posture, a problem n any one of these areas may affect others. Signs and symptoms of TMD can include painful clicking or popping in the jaw joint, various types of headaches and neck pain, swallowing issues, postural problems, snoring and sleep apnea, congestion and ringing in the ears, clenching or grinding just to mention a few of the more common problems.
At Aesthetic Family Dentistry, we are neuromuscular dentists that consider all of the information gathered by taking a thorough history and doing complete physical exam of your teeth, head and neck. We look for a number of signs in your posture, appearance and condition of your teeth and existing bite that might aid in diagnosis. An imperfect bite often plays a significant role in these conditions and we are experienced in treating and resolving them. When indicated, we may conduct a series of sophisticated non-invasive electronic tests that gather data. This data will indicate whether of not your bite is a major contributing factor to your problem. If these tests show that your habitual bite is a probable cause of your condition or pain, we can identify a new jaw position where the muscles are in a relaxed state. This new jaw position is called your Neuromuscular bite or occlusion.
An orthotic is a custom made appliance fabricated of plastic that can be worn over or fixed to your teeth to maintain your Neuromuscular bite. At this point, nothing is done to permanently alter your teeth or bite. We use this orthotic to confirm the diagnosis and you wear it until your symptoms improve or resolve completely. If it does, it confirms that your imperfect bite was the cause and you may choose to go on and have your natural teeth restored to this new bite position.
