• Cosmetic Dentistry
  • Porcelain Veneers
  • Tooth Whitening
  • Bonding
  • Cosmetic Tissue Contouring
  • Smile Makeover
  • Dentures
• Reconstructive Dentistry
  • Crowns
  • Inlays/Onlays
  • Bridges
  • Dental Implants
  • Dental Implant Questions
  • Dental Implants vs. Dentures
• Orthodontics
  • Invisalign and The Damon System
• TMJ/Headache Treatment
• Family Dentistry
  • Oral Hygiene and Kids
• Periodontics
• Sedation Dentistry

Neuromuscular Dentistry

In Stow and Akron-Canton, Ohio

Do you suffer from recurring headaches? Have they been called migraines? Have you been to see a doctor or two about it, to little effect?

Headaches have many reasons, but there’s a type of severe headache that’s associated with having a misaligned bite (what dentists call a malocclusion). Here are some other symptoms that often go along with these severe headaches:

• Unexplained loose teeth
• Worn, chipped or cracked teeth
• Cracking, chipping or breaking dental restorations
• Pain around the jaw joints
• Pain in your teeth that seems to move around
• Neck, shoulder or back pain
• Facial pain
• Clicking or grating sounds in the jaw joints
• Limited movement or locking of the jaw
• Numbness in your fingers and arms

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ)

If you have several of the above symptoms along with headaches, you might have TMJ (also known as TMD, for temporomandibular joint disorder). The temporomandibular joint is the jaw joint, in the temple area, where your lower jaw connects to the skull.

A bad bite

When the teeth are out of alignment, we have a misaligned bite. That means that every time you chew or talk, your teeth are coming together wrongly, uncomfortably. Think of how many times we chew and talk each day! As the years go by, the muscles of the jaw joint become strained and chronically tense. This tension spreads throughout the ligaments and tendons of those muscles, and even into the bones connected to them, i.e., the skull and jaw.

Severe pain

There are 3 large nerves running through the temples, across the face and head, and down the neck to the shoulders. Chronic stress in the jaw joint and associated muscles eventually causes inflammation and irritation to these nerves, resulting in that long list of possible symptoms, and severe headaches.

You might also develop habits like teeth grinding or gum chewing in an unconscious attempt to find a comfortable jaw position. These habits can also be the result of a pre-existing TMJ condition.

Neuromuscular Dentistry

Neuromuscular dentistry is the art and science of discovering and recording the correct jaw position for any given individual, and using that measured knowledge to re-train the muscles and correct misaligned teeth so that a new and comfortable jaw position is established.

Twenty-five years of research and clinical experience have shown these techniques to be effective in treating various levels of head and neck pain.

TMJ pain relief

The first step in TMJ treatment is to relax the jaw, thus relieving pain. This is done using a transcutaneous electric nerve stimulator (TENS) unit. It sends small electrical impulses to electrodes, which send them on to the affected nerves. The strength of these impulses can be changed as needed, and the effect is one of relaxation and pain relief. It feels like a gentle tapping on your skin.

When the jaw is relaxed, we can determine how your jaw movement can be retrained, and which teeth, if any, should be treated for better alignment. We’ll take x-rays and record your jaw muscle movements as part of the diagnosis and treatment planning. Usually, no surgery and no braces are required.

Neuromuscular Dentures

Creating comfortable, natural looking dentures is a great challenge. Using a computer that simultaneously monitors jaw position and muscle activity, we can ensure that the denture teeth are placed in the most comfortable, functional and pleasing location.

You will probably enjoy:

• Fewer post-insertion adjustments
• Improved denture stability
• Improved joint and muscle function
• A more youthful smile and full lower face

Please contact us for your initial consultation. Our goal is to enhance your personal confidence through improving your dental health and brightening your smile.