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It is estimated that approximately 45 million Americans have chronic headaches, some of which are migraines. At least half of these people experience headaches severe enough to be disabling. If your head pain is a result of a jaw disorder, your dentist may be able to help stop the pain. Neuromuscular dentistry is a more advanced, effective and complete approach to dental treatment than traditional dentistry, with the ability to treat TMJ/TMD quickly to relieve life-long pain. Neuromuscular dentistry differentiates from other theories of occlusion that may guide dental treatment because of its emphasis on gravity as determining the bite, as well as where the jaw muscles are most relaxed. The goal is also to alleviate stress from the jaw muscles and eliminate painful symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ/TMD). What is Neuromuscular Dentistry? Introduced in the late 1960s, Dr. Bernard Jenkelson did not limit his examination to the teeth, but also investigated the relationship among the muscles, nerves, bones and two temporomandibular joints. With the assistance of his son, he developed equipment to locate the ideal position of the lower jaw, which was determined to be where the jaw muscles are most comfortable. According to Dr. Jenkelson (the founder) of neuromuscular theory, when the teeth, jaw muscles and TMJs are not aligned, TMD symptoms occur. Neuromuscular dentistry focuses on the muscles that move the jaw. Recognition that these muscles must be in a relaxed position to avoid tension with the teeth and joint, leads to an emphasis on finding the exact position that allows for this relaxation. The primary goal of neuromuscular dentistry concentrates on determining the position of the jaw where the muscles relax. If the jaw is not properly aligned, neuromuscular dentistry may help to address the precise cause of the problem, whether jaw joint, muscle or tooth position. Who Needs Neuromuscular Dental Treatment? When you bite down, your teeth should fit together like a puzzle. This bite forces your muscles and jaw into a certain position which may not be ideal. Often, the habitual bite relationship is not ideal and leads to muscle spasms and inflammation on the temporomandibular joint. Teeth grinding is often a response to the muscles spasms, which causes the grinding down of your teeth and as the teeth become shorter, the muscles continue to shorten as well. This causes tension in the muscles to increase, in addition to the forces on the teeth, which often results in chipping and breaking teeth. As wear on your teeth progresses, the lower jaw also begins to shift backward, putting pressure on the temporomandibular joint, which is found just in front of your ear. With many blood vessels and nerve endings in this area, the jawbone compresses them when the lower jaw shifts. Severe headaches, pressure behind the eyes, tinnitus, vertigo, numbness in the fingers and ear congestion may result from this shift in your jaw. If you are suffering from headaches, jaw pain or any other symptoms, neuromuscular dentistry might be the right headache pain relief treatment for you. Contact your dentist in Ft. Myers today for further consultation and to begin treatment. You no longer have to deal with pain in your jaw, ears or head.
Dr. Martinez, Cape Coral and Ft Myers neuromuscular dentist, earned his Doctor of Medical Dentistry Degree from the University of Florida in 2003. He is a progressive dentist who is constantly striving to improve his dental education and skills so he can deliver the best and latest that modern dentistry has to offer. Dr. Martinez specializes in veneers, teeth whitening and implants in Ft Myers.
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