Many people suffer from Myofascial Pain Dysfunction (MPD) and are not sure of the nature of their condition and how to solve it. You may have heard other terms that describe this condition such as TMJ (Tempromandibular Joint) syndrome, Craniomandibular Dysfunction (CMD) or Tempromandibular Joint Disorder (TMD).
IF YOU SUFFER FROM:
- Joint noise or pain
- Ear congestion
- Clenching or Bruxing
- Tingling in fingers
- Facial pain
- Head, neck or shoulder pain
- Unexplained loose teeth
- Worn, chipping or cracked teeth
- Limited opening/ Locking jaw
The above conditions that cause these signs and symptoms are structural, biochemical and emotional. The structural problem is almost always present and leads to over activation of the jaw, head and neck muscles. Over a period of time it can lead to pain, tension and spasms.
Tempromandibular joint disorder (TMD), Myofascial Pain Dysfunction (MPD) or tempromandibular joint syndrome (TMJ), is a chronic illness that affects 40 million people at any one time. There are many people who have no pain but still have occlusal disease (misaligned bite). Worn, chipped or broken teeth, broken fillings, changing position or shape of the smile are all indications that can benefit from treatment.
To correct TMD or misaligned bite, the jaw is brought back into a muscularly balanced position, through sophisticated computer analysis. We use low frequency Transcutaneous Electrical Neural Stimulation (TENS) to relax the muscles of the head and neck and determine a muscularly-oriented jaw-to-skull relationship. TENS is also used to relieve pain caused by spasm and tension by releasing endorphins, the body's own natural pain killers. We also use TENS to close the jaw in combination with jaw tracking to find a position that is compatible with the relaxed muscles. Electromyography (EMG) is used to objectively look at the electrical activity in the muscles and sonography (ESG) to evaluate joint noises.
These sophisticated instruments have been used in medical specialties for years and are being used in dentistry to measure muscle dysfunction of the jaw, a major component in many headaches. This objective collection of data is then analyzed and combined with tomographic radiographs (specialized joint x-rays) to diagnose the problem. An individualized and precise treatment plan is developed that most often leads to improvement and or elimination of pain.
As a chronic degenerative disease, it often takes years to develop TMD. With new techniques and the objective computerized data, we have been able to help many that have been previously unable to find relief.