Centre for Distinctive Dentistry Blog - Dr. Ned Nippoldt
St. Paul, Woodbury, Minneapolis, Hudson, Lake Elmo, Stillwater, Minnesota
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Headaches, TMJ, And Neuromuscular Dentistry
What do headaches, jaw pain, ringing in the ears, neck or shoulder pain, and grinding or clicking sounds in the jaw joint have in common? All are symptoms of tempomandibular joint syndrome (TMJ) or tempomandibular joint disorder (TMD).
TMJ/TMD is a degenerative disease. It develops over time when the jaw is masaligned. After many years, this misalignment can affect the hard tissues in the jaw area, including the teeth and bones, as well as the soft tissues, including the muscles and nerves. Patients who have severe TMJ/TMD sometimes experience severe pain. Others may have relatively little pain, but they may notice their teeth are wearing, becoming loose, or developiing notches at the gum line.
Dentists who have training in neuromuscular dentistry are trained to diagnose the problem and correct the bite and realign the jaw. The neuromuscular dentist will first determine the best position for the jaw by measuring the position of the head and neck muscles in a totally relaxed position. Many times a special machine called an EDA is used to totally relax the patient's muscles so the dentist can reposition the jaw and determine the exact measurements. The neuromuscular dentist will then determine the best option for helping the patient achieve this position naturally. The options can include a bite adjustment, orthodontics, orthotics or even a full-mouth reconstruction.
In most cases, patients treated with neuromuscular dentistry find that their pain is much decreased or eliminated entirely. Not only do they find that they are more comfortable, but they experience the advantage of having beautiful, longer lasting dental restorations.
If you are interested in being treated for TMJ/TMD pain or worn dentition and live in the Minneapolis, St. Paul, Woodbury, MN or Hudson, WI, area, please contact our office- The Centre for Distinctive Dentistry-Ned A. Nippoldt, DDS, PA-at 651.739.8573.
TMJ/TMD is a degenerative disease. It develops over time when the jaw is masaligned. After many years, this misalignment can affect the hard tissues in the jaw area, including the teeth and bones, as well as the soft tissues, including the muscles and nerves. Patients who have severe TMJ/TMD sometimes experience severe pain. Others may have relatively little pain, but they may notice their teeth are wearing, becoming loose, or developiing notches at the gum line.
Dentists who have training in neuromuscular dentistry are trained to diagnose the problem and correct the bite and realign the jaw. The neuromuscular dentist will first determine the best position for the jaw by measuring the position of the head and neck muscles in a totally relaxed position. Many times a special machine called an EDA is used to totally relax the patient's muscles so the dentist can reposition the jaw and determine the exact measurements. The neuromuscular dentist will then determine the best option for helping the patient achieve this position naturally. The options can include a bite adjustment, orthodontics, orthotics or even a full-mouth reconstruction.
In most cases, patients treated with neuromuscular dentistry find that their pain is much decreased or eliminated entirely. Not only do they find that they are more comfortable, but they experience the advantage of having beautiful, longer lasting dental restorations.
If you are interested in being treated for TMJ/TMD pain or worn dentition and live in the Minneapolis, St. Paul, Woodbury, MN or Hudson, WI, area, please contact our office- The Centre for Distinctive Dentistry-Ned A. Nippoldt, DDS, PA-at 651.739.8573.
Labels: headaches, Jaw Pain, Neuromuscular Dentistry, TMD, TMJ
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