Baton Rouge Cosmetic Dentist

Patient Testimonials

TMJ Treatment & Neuromuscular Dentistry for Headaches

What is TMJ? It stands for temporo-mandibular joint. And what's that, you ask. It's the joint where the lower jaw (the mandible) meets the upper jaw, at the temporal bone of the skull. You can feel it if you put a finger in front of your ear and open your mouth. We use it all day, for talking, swallowing, chewing and yawning. TMJ is also used to refer to malfunctioning and pain in this joint and TMJ treatment is offered by many cosmetic dentists.

So that the bones can slide easily and with little friction, there's a disk or pad of cartilage between the mandible and the skull. When we bite something, we put a lot of force on that pad, but since it's smooth, the jaw can slide over it smoothly, and we don't hurt ourselves. Several muscles are connected to this TMJ and contribute to the movement.

Why does this joint become painful?
The disk of cartilage can become worn or displaced. If we grind our teeth, clench our jaw, or chew gum a lot, we put extra wear and tear on the cartilage. And if our bite is misaligned or our jaws mis-positioned, this also adds wear and tear. Arthritis can also interfere.

The damaged or worn cartilage will then cause a popping or clicking sound as it shifts back and forth, in and out of alignment. This movement places pressure on the nerves in the area and stretches them, which is painful. And the stress can cause the chewing muscles to spasm, becoming tender and painful, and even cause the jaw to lock in either an open or closed position. Some patients also complain of ringing in the ears.

The pain might be dull and ongoing, or sharp and sudden. And it can radiate to surrounding tissues such as the connected muscles, the teeth, skull bones, cheek, and lower jaw. Most especially, it can radiate into the ear, causing the person to think they have an ear infection.

So the symptoms of TMJ malfunction are:

• Sore jaw muscles
• Temple and/or cheek pain
• Ear pain
• Frequent headaches or neck aches including migraines
• Jaw popping or clicking
• Locking of the jaw
• Difficulty in opening the mouth fully
• Sleeping problems

Neuromuscular dentistry
This dentistry includes treatment of the muscles, nerves, and supporting structures of the mouth. Recent technological break-throughs have enabled TMJ professionals to assess more accurately what is the most comfortable position for a patient's muscles, teeth and jaw.

The first step in this type of dentistry is to find the position of greatest relaxation for the jaw muscles. For this, a TENS unit is used (Transcutaneous Neural Stimulator). It gives off a low-frequency electrical stimulus that relaxes the muscles, and the dentist can then measure and analyze their activity. Then an orthotic is made based on these measurements, such that your jaw will close to its best position, where the muscles are at their best length and will not spasm. This orthotic is worn for about 3 months, stabilizing your bite, enabling the muscles to heal, and thus eliminating symptoms. Further treatment varies depending on the particular patient.

For more information on the technology used to treat TMJ, read LVI's press release on Dr. Montalbano's K7 training.

Other resources for a neuromuscular dentist are a sonograph (to measure those popping sounds in your jaw); and an electromyograph (to measure the electrical activity in your muscles). These allow your dentist to accurately adjust the placement of fillings and crowns, so that your teeth can last longer and be more resistant to disease, and your muscles can feel more relaxed. Keeping the muscles relaxed protects the teeth from chipping, wearing, and breaking.

If you live in Baton Rouge, Hammond, Port Allen, or anywhere in Louisiana, and are considering TMJ surgery in a friendly, caring atmosphere, please call or e-mail us today to set up your preliminary consultation.