TMJ & Philadelphia Neuromuscular Dentistry
Building a healthy bite.
If you woke up with a headache again this morning, you're not alone. Millions of people spend their sleeping hours grinding their teeth, chomping and chewing as if eating an overcooked steak in their sleep. Most attribute it to stress and think there's nothing they can do about it. Most are wrong.
Noctournal grinding and clenching are extremely common symptoms of people with a bite that is out of alignment. It leads to a variety of symptoms that can range from annoying to downright painful. But the source of the problem is easily diagnosed and corrected through neuromuscular dentistry.
What is Philadelphia Neuromuscular Dentistry?
Neuromuscular Dentistry is a discipline used to diagnose and treat malocclusion through the gentle repositioning of the jaw, alleviating years of pain and discomfort.
Through computerized, scientific measurements of relaxed head and neck muscles, the optimal position of the jaw and surrounding muscles can be determined.
The jaw can then be repositioned in two ways. Dental restorations can be placed on the teeth to raise or lower the bite or an orthotic (a removable dental appliance) can be placed to gradually shift the teeth.
Philadelphia Neuromuscular Dentistry is an effective solution.
Signs and Symptoms
When the bite is off (malocclusion), many problems can occur. The most common is TMJ (temporomandibular joint syndrome), a condition that causes pain and soreness in the jaw. But malocclusion also causes many other symptoms that make diagnosis for most health professionals difficult, including:
- TMJ (temporomandibular joint syndrome)
- Clicking and popping in the jaw joints when eating or talking
- Headaches or migraines
- Sinus problems
- Tinnitus (ringing in ears)
- Unexplained loose teeth
- Worn, chipped or cracked teeth
- Cracking, chipping or breaking dental restorations
- Pain or soreness around the jaw joints
- Pain in teeth that seems to move around
- Stiffness or soreness in the neck, shoulders and back, sometimes radiating down your arm to your fingers
- Snoring
- Vertigo (dizziness)
- Congestion or stuffiness of the ears, or subjective hearing loss
The symptoms are so diverse, they may be attributed to stress, injury or illness. In fact, patients often seek the help of a variety of specialists, from family physicians to chiropractors. But the pain is never fully resolved.
Philadelphia Neuromuscular Dentistry Uses Computerized Bite Correction
Technology plays an incredible role in the correction of malocclusion. Dr. Snyder is trained in the use of the Myotronics K7 Evaluation System, a highly sophisticated software program that provides the dentist with three technologies for measuring the position and function of your jaw and determining an optimal treatment plan.
Computerized Tracking produces 3-D pictures of your jaw position when at rest and in motion (opening and closing).
Electromyography (EMG) measures the muscle activity when in motion and at rest.
Electrosonography (ESG) allows the dentist to hear any joint noises when the jaw is in motion. Joint noises are a symptom of malocclusion.
You and Dr. Snyder will see muscle activity on the screen that will help you better understand where your bite is out of alignment. As your bite is adjusted, you'll watch your muscle readings even out and relax right before your eyes.
The result is a smile that not only looks wonderful but finally feels pain free. So the next time you wake up with a headache, reach for the phone instead of the Advil. Call Dr. Snyder to see how Philadelphia neuromuscular dentistry can improve your quality of life.
