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TMJ Treatment Baltimore MD
Modern dentistry does much more than improve the appearance of a smile. Advances in the science of complete dentistry have taught us how to bring the jaw into a relaxed position to help alleviate years of pain and discomfort.
Neuromuscular dentistry uses the relaxed position of the muscles of the head and neck to place the jaw into an optimal physiologic position. Twenty-five years of research and clinical experience have shown this position to be effective in treating patients with head and neck pain.
Who is Affected?
Temporomandibular joint disease (also known as TMD or TMJ) affects 75 million people at any one time. It is a chronic degenerative disease that may take years to develop. People who suffer from TMD have a structural imbalance in their jaw-to-skull relationship, caused by a misaligned or bad. This disease causes:
- Alterations of the temporomandibular joint position due to excessive pressure on the joint and surrounding tissues.
- The jaw to twist into a strained position. This further affects the muscles in the face, back, neck and shoulders.
Other causes of TMJ disorders may include clenching or grinding of the teeth, tightening of the jaw muscles and added stress to the TM joint, or damage to the jaw due to an injury.
TMJ Disorder Symtoms
You may be a candidate for neuromuscular dentistry if you experience any of the following symptoms on a regular basis:
- Headaches or migraines
- nexplained loose teeth
- Worn, chipped or cracked teeth
- racking, chipping or breaking dental restorations
- Pain or soreness around the jaw joints
- Pain in 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 jaw
- Numbness in your fingers and arms
- Congestion or stuffiness of the ears
We Can Help with TMJ Disorder
Dr. Evans is well trained and highly capable of treating the neuromuscular symptoms of a patient with a misaligned or poor bite (malocclusion). Following a comprehensive examination, he may diagnose malocclusion and recommend a treatment plan that will correct your bite and alleviate pain and discomfort.
To correct malocclusion, he may recommend the use of dental restorations that can precisely raise or lower areas of your bite to create a naturally comfortable position for your jaw. Dr. Evans’ office uses the Myotronics K7. The treatment process involves using a sophisticated computer program to record and interpret temporomandibular joint sounds (chewing), muscle activity (EMGS) and the path of movement the jaw follows in function. Dr. Evans may also request specialized jaw joint x-rays, called tomographic views, to see the position of the jaw in a variety of resting and active positions. The results of these tests allow him to find the most relaxed position for the jaw to create your best possible bite for comfort and appearance.
If you live in the Baltimore area and believe you have a TMJ disorder, contact us at our Baltimore, MD office to schedule a consultation with Dr. Evans.
After TMJ Treatment
After going through TMJ treatment by Dr. Evans, we find that many patients experience a moderate to significant change in their facial appearance following completion of the treatment. Patients with recessed lower jaws may have a new profile, accenting a stronger jaw line and chin. Areas of the jaw that may have protruded excessively will be pulled back in alignment. In addition, all of the restorations necessary to correct the bite will be created with consideration to the aesthetic result of the smile. Not only will this procedure correct pain, it will give patients the smile they have always dreamed about.