We have discussed TMJ in the past, but neuromuscular dentistry is also a popular buzzword in the dental world today. Treating jaw pain and headaches through neuromuscular dentistry is highly successful and produces lasting results.
Neuromuscular dentistry operates on the principle that the teeth are meant to align in a certain way, and many people’s teeth do not. This can result in ringing in the ears, jaw popping, facial and jaw pain, severe and reoccurring headaches, and even neck and shoulder pain. It is hard to believe all of these side effects can result from the jaw, but everything is connected! Neuromuscular dentists are trained to recognize the symptoms of a misalignment of the jaw, and can offer a variety of solutions to get your bite back where it belongs.
Often, a tens machine is used in order to relax the muscles in your face and jaw. The dentist is then able to recognize the ideal alignment for your jaw based on your mouth. The tens machine provides very small electrical pulses to your jaw and face muscles to relax them. Once the ideal alignment is identified, you can be fit for an orthotic–not to be confused with a sleep apnea device–which is a piece of acrylic designed to align your bite in perfect balance to relieve the pain, tension, and headaches you may be experiencing. By retraining your bite, you can avoid surgery and often completely relieve pain in your jaw, face, and neck muscles. This can be life changing for someone with very severe pain associated with their jaw. Remember–it’s all connected, and one part of your body out of alignment can cause many other problems.
