A recent survey shows that people often live with painful symptoms, such as headache, neck pain and popping of their jaw, despite seeking medical attention from physicians, neurologists and chiropractors.
A typical case is Julie Bush, a professional photographer living near Toledo, Ohio. For seven years she had migraines and facial pain, and her jaw popped when she chewed. Some days her headaches were so intense she couldn’t work. Painkillers and ice packs applied to her face did not alleviate her pain. “I was a closed-mouth smiler,” she said, adding that “In my business, smiling confidently couldn’t be more important.”
Eventually, she discussed the symptoms with a neuromuscular dentist. After an initial examination, she was fitted with an orthotic and “My headaches were gone right way.”
“Line up your jaw–it completely makes sense,” Bush said. She was fitted with crowns and veneers so her jaw would remain in the optimal position determined by her neuromuscular dentist. Her jaw no longer pops and she has no facial pain.
“Now I have a bright smile, which I show to everyone,” she said. “It’s amazing.”
Headache A Major Symptom
A national survey of neuromuscular dentists shows that the No. 1 symptom their patients suffer from is headaches at 75 percent, including migraines. This is followed by jaw joint pain at 20 percent. Other common symptoms include neck and shoulder pain and ringing in the ears. Sufferers commonly miss work due to the level of pain.
“Interestingly, less than 5 percent of the dentists in the world are trained in neuromuscular dentistry,” said Dr. Bill Dickerson, president of LVI Global in Las Vegas, Nev. Dentists from all over the world attend LVI to learn neuromuscular dentistry.
How TMD Is Treated
After a thorough examination, including a pain-free electronic analysis of the muscles of the jaw, specially trained neuromuscular dentists perform a workup and show the patient how treatment will change the bite and alleviate pain. The neuromuscular dentist then uses a variety of techniques to relax the jaw and find the optimal position. From there an orthotic, much like a mouth guard used by athletes, is made and used to temporarily maintain the optimal position until patients can be fitted with permanent crowns and veneers.
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