TMJ Pain Treatment (Tempro-Mandibular Joint Dysfunction)
TMJ or Tempro-Mandibular Joint Dysfunction, is a common and frequent condition that affects a lot of people. TMJ is labelled by relentless and severe headaches, varying degrees of jaw pain, teeth grinding and an constant ringing in the ears. Most TMJ sufferers are unaware that the root cause of these symptoms is something TMJ dentist, Dr. Khullar, can effectively treat.
The symptoms of TMJ are debilitating and can interfere severely with day-to-day life. The comfort and general well being of the patient is at the heart of our Little Rock dental practice, so pain relief is the first consideration of Dr. Khullar. He is able to test, diagnose and devise an immediate plan to treat the underlying causes of your TMJ disorder.
Diagnosing TMJ
The first step in determining the cause, severity and ultimately the treatment of your pain, is a meeting with TMJ dentist, Dr. Khullar and his Dentalways team. After meeting with Dr. Khullar for a one-hour TMJ consultation, we will discuss the cause of your symptoms and go over possible solutions.
There are many treatment options that can be tailored just for you. During the consultation Dentalways may request a digital CAT Scan of your jaws to observe any jaw joint disease or breathing issues. Our team can explain the details of this service, which can be done in-office.
There truly is a science behind your TMJ diagnosis and, at Dentalways, we use every advantage possible. Here's how we go about gathering the information we need to properly diagnosis your condition:
- Careful observations of symptoms and signs of your TMJ disorder and how it relates to your posture, muscle tenderness, jaw joint function and tooth and gum tissue damage.
- Special radiographs of your teeth and jaw joints are gathered using digital, low radiation CAT Scan Technology.
- Detailed casts are made of your upper and lower teeth.
- Neuromuscular testing is implemented using advanced instrumentation, such as:
- computerized jaw tracking
- eight channel electromyography
- joint sonography
- T.E.N.S
Through these channels, the purpose is to record your bite while it's in a relaxed position. Then the way your teeth meet is observed and noted and, as a result, an orthodic is made based on your jaw's relaxed position. This orthotic is then used to cover the biting surface of your lower teeth and eliminate any pain associated with a bad bite.
When your jaw is in its most natural and relaxed position, your TMJ symptoms will begin to disappear and the pain and discomfort associated with your jaw misalignment will disappear as well. The first step in determining the most optimal position of the jaw - where the muscles are relaxed and at rest - requires the help of sophisticated technology found in our Little Rock Dentalways office.
Reasons for treating TMJ
TMJ sufferers state their symptoms generally get worse during prolonged or unexpected periods of stress. Intense outbreaks can often lead to severe neck pain and spells of dizziness.
If you suffer from TMJ, the most common cause is your "bad bite" or the misalignment of your jaw and teeth. It's possible for to realign or adjust your teeth without the need for expensive or painful surgeries. Once your teeth and jaw are adjusted, the pounding headaches, jaw pain and dizziness will stop.
Grinding of your teeth is another particularly common symptom, usually occurring when you sleep. Eventually the grinding will erode the structure of your teeth and lead to more critical dental problems in your future. Untreated TMJ is one of the most common underlying factors in eroded jawbones and tooth loss. If you're experiencing or suspect any of these symptoms, it's critical you seek out TMJ pain therapy.
What does treating TMJ involve?
While a bad bite is the most common problem affecting your TMJ, you could still be suffering from a number of different reasons. An injury resulting from a blow to the meniscus cartilage is also a possibility. To determine exactly what's going on, TMJ dentist Dr. Khullar will thoroughly examine the jaw area, your bite, take x-rays and review your history, in order to make an accurate diagnosis and recommend the proper treatment. Once a firm diagnosis is attained, there are several ways in which relief can be provided through TMJ pain therapy.
An orthotic device can be created using a TENS machine (Transcutaneous Electrical Neural Stimulation). This machine is used to relax the muscles in your face and neck. After 45-60 minutes on the TENs unit, and after using measurements of your lower teeth in relation to the upper teeth, a bite registration is made. This removable orthotic is placed over the lower teeth and should help you stop teeth grinding during the night, which ultimately provides pain relief. TMJ dentist Dr. Khullar can also give you advice on relaxation techniques which will lessen the effects of stress. As a last alternative, Dentalways in Little Rock, is also able to prescribe muscle relaxants.
Another TMJ pain therapy option is to change the shape of your teeth and get rid of your bad bite completely. This is often referred to as a “realignment.” This is especially useful because it not only alleviates TMJ symptoms, a lot of times it improves the aesthetic appearance of your teeth as well. Realignment involves adjusting the relationship between how the upper and lower teeth come together. This may require new restorations and/or adjusting the natural teeth. It is not a painful procedure, and is one Dr. Khullar has performed with great success numerous times.
A pain-free life is possible, today
You've been living in pain for a long time. So long in fact, you barely remember a pain-free life. TMJ pain therapy is the answer you've been looking for. Once Dr. Khullar and his Dentalways team carefully observe and monitor the signs and symptoms of your TMJ disorder, they can determine how it affects your neck pain, posture, muscle tenderness, jaw joint function and the damage to your teeth and gums. Then a treatment option will be provided and you'll be on your way to living a life, free of pain!
TMJ Treatment Options
If you suffer from TMJ related symptoms and the pain that accompanies it, you want relief. Plain and simple. Not only can Dr. Khullar determine exactly what's going on and how to go about relieving your pain, the treatments can come without the use of surgery. That’s right. No surgery may be required to fix your problems.
TMJ problems can be solved through a combination of non-invasive therapy, including dental orthotics, braces or other dental devices. If broken or worn teeth are also a problem, a complete smile rejuvenation can help to restore teeth and eliminate embarrassment. Dentalways in Little Rock, can restore your smile, your health and most importantly, it can restore you!
No surgery, how?
Neuromuscular or TMJ dentistry is a fancy name for a specific treatment of dentistry. Basically, it combines the science of making you feel better with the art of making you look better. It stabilizes your bite, contributing to a healthy, long term TMJ treatment plan.
Neuromuscular dentistry, which TMJ dentist Dr. Khullar performs, can restore your smile back to its intended beauty. It can reduce or even eliminate all the symptoms that take affect your quality of life. With the help of computer tracking and advanced technology, your bite is rebuilt back into the position nature intended. This helps balance the way you chew and how your overall mouth functions.
Bring back the balance
By bringing back this balance – the strain, stress, pressure and pain that has been building in your jaw, face, back, neck, shoulders and the rest of your body will finally be relieved. Once Dr. Khullar diagnoses and determines the exact problem, your TMJ treatment can start immediately.
Your pain will decrease and often disappear, once your bite is balanced again, There is no surgery involved in helping you with your pain. We are balancing muscle activity, joint position, tooth contact and posture using a very special piece of plastic called an orthotic.
A thorough examination by Little Rock's Dr. Khullar will offer not only a correct diagnosis but more importantly, an individualized, accurate treatment plan. Modern science and technological advances make it even easier to determine the exact root of the problem. An analysis will show just how much damage has been caused. The muscles of your jaw and neck will be measured while in use. This allows for Dr. Khullar to determine your best bite position.
Relief with no surgery, no healing time
Using treatments designed to fit your symptoms and TMJ problems, Dr. Khullar can realign your jaw and muscles to end the pain and suffering caused by TM related stress and strain. With no surgery, it means you have no recovery time, you incur less expense and your treatments can generally start immediately. Doesn't that bring you relief?
Orthotic Solutions
You can actually change the position of your lower jaw - where it comes together to meet your upper jaw, through a TMJ orthotic or dental splint appliance. A balanced bite splint will help your teeth come together in a balanced, healthy bite position and this in turn can can correct and treat your TMJ symptoms. This simple piece of plastic, which isn't the same as devices used to treat grinding or sleep apnea, will bring instant relief to the muscles of your neck and face.
TMJ dentist Dr. Khullar and his team will restore balance to your teeth and jaw, with a TMJ orthotic solution. By bringing back this balance, the strain, stress, pressure and pain that's been building in your jaw, face, neck, shoulders, back and the rest of your body will finally be relieved. The orthotic solution looks like, feels like, and chews just like your natural teeth. Additional benefits include:
- look very real and natural
- feel like your natural teeth
- don't hinder or impair your speech
- are comfortable when you are chewing
- are virtually invisible; no one will know you're seeking dental treatment
After Khullar and his Dentalways team have met with you and made a proper diagnosis, your treatment can start immediately. With a TMJ orthotic solution, your bite is balanced and your pain will decrease, often times disappearing altogether. There is no surgery involved and no medications to take. Still you get balanced muscle activity, even tooth contact, ideal joint positioning and corrected posture... all from this simple orthotic appliance.
The orthotic appliance is a diagnostic tool. It should be constantly worn to determine the best results. As time goes by, the plastic orthotic may start to wear down. For this reason, some people move forward to a second phase of treatment, after the orthotic appliance relieves most of their symptoms. The second phase treatment might involve restoring damaged or worn teeth with ceramic crowns, or moving teeth to the correct bite position with orthodontic treatment. Dr. Khullar in Little Rock can discuss all your options and treatment alternatives, best suited for you.
Orthotic solutions can also help patients who suffer from headaches, migraines, neck pain, vertigo, jaw pain, sleep apnea, worn or breaking teeth, fullness of the ears and snoring. Once Dr. Khullar and his Dentalways team carefully observe and monitor the signs and symptoms of your TMJ disorder, they can determine how it affects your neck pain, posture, muscle tenderness, jaw joint function and the damage to your teeth and gums. If an orthotic is the best treatment option, you will get immediate relief the moment you pop in your appliance. Then, you'll be on your way to living a life, free of pain!
Sports Mouthguard
While neuromuscular dental philosophies are not revolutionary, what is revolutionary is how new mouthguard technology is being used by athletes around the world. This mouthguard was advocated and worn by Shaquille O'Neal, Terrell Owens and many other professional athletes including PGA Tour golfers. In fact, Tracy Porter of the New Orleans Saints was wearing this mouthguard in the Super Bowl when he picked off Peyton Manning and helped New Orleans win their first and only Super Bowl!
How a mouthguard and dentistry are related
The sports mouthguard has been designed using neuromuscular dental principles. These principles have been practiced by neuromuscular or TMJ dentists like Dr. Khullar, for the last 50 years.
The goal of the neuromuscular dentistry, is to relax the muscles controlling jaw position, establishing a natural physiological rest position. When your muscles are truly in their optimal rest position, your jaw and TMJ are are better aligned. This directly affects the posture of your neck and head. Aligning the head and neck allow for better alignment of the rest of the body.
Your jaw joint is a balance point of body power. If your jaw is misaligned, your body will try to compensate, sapping strength and concentration from your motoring muscles. By realigning the jaw joint with a TMJ mouthguard from Dentalways, you release power and energy to your legs and arms. You don't become stronger but your full strength is realized and executed
Can a dentist make me this mouthguard?
The only dentist that can make a sports mouthguard for you is a Certified Dentist, like Dr. Khullar. He is expertly trained in the principles of neuromuscular and TMJ dentistry, completing hundreds and hundreds of hours in post graduate dental training in this specialty. The high-level instrumentation is available only to those dentists who qualify as neuromuscular dentists, such as Dr. Khullar.
It's important to note the sports mouthguard is a completely different device than typical boil and bite mouthguards. It's different as well from traditional dental mouthguards made for athletes. While other athletic mouthguards do provide some protection of the teeth, the sports mouthguard is the only one designed to protect the teeth and jaw joint while enhancing athletic performance. Because of the slightly thicker material between the teeth, the sports mouthguard can help to reduce occurrences or severity of concussions from blunt force to the jaw or teeth.
TMJ Treatment Cost
The costs associated with your TMJ treatment by Dentalways, depends on your individual mouth. There are several options for custom treatment to your specific needs. However most patients can expect to pay in a certain range depending on the type of orthotic they choose.
THERAPEUTIC ORTHOTICS
They can range from $2500 to $5000. These orthotics are removable and are meant for part time wear but can be worn up to 20 hours a day.
RECONSTRUCTION ORTHOTICS
They can range from $7000 to $8000. These orthotics are typically bonded onto the lower teeth and are a pre-cursor to orthodontics or restorations to change the way teeth mesh permanently.
Cost for chiropractic care, orthodontic treatments or restorative care will depend on the severity of your situation.
It's an investment in you and you deserve it
While there are variables and numerous scenarios to take into account when factoring in the cost of your treatment, the truth is there is no cost too great when compared to a pain-free, healthy, vibrant life! You deserve to live a better quality of life and you deserve to make the investment in yourself!
