Do you suffer from chronic and persistent migraines or ear, neck, shoulder, head and body aches or pains? These may sound like symptoms of various medical conditions such as fibromyalgia, arthritis, and even Lyme disease, but did you know they are also the symptoms of Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, known more commonly as TMJ?
Many patients undergo test after test at their general practitioner’s office only to feel like there are no answers and no treatments for their chronic pain. They report feeling misunderstood, confused and anxious due to their futile search for remedies to their pain.
New breakthroughs in dental medicine have made it possible to run tests on patients with these symptoms now to determine if the cause is related to TMJ disorder and if so, how severe. Using advanced, state-of-the-art equipment, the movement of the jaw muscle can be measured to define how serious the problem is. The ideal resting position of the upper and lower jaw can then be determined, and a plan for non-invasive neuromuscular therapy can be put into place to achieve this ideal alignment.
Dr. Martin Abelar, a leading neuromuscular dentist that has over two decades of experience in treating TMJ disorders, discusses the three-part tests he conducts in his San Diego office.
“First we track and record jaw movement, how the jaw rests and how the jaw closes. This is vital information in determining if a jaw is misaligned. Then we record any sounds made and analyze them. This may seem strange but, it’s common for a misaligned jaw to make a popping or clicking sound when it moves. The analyzing of these sounds can reveal important details in regards to treatment plans. Finally, we take x-rays or CT scans of the jaw for a visual evaluation. Just evaluating a patient from one of these angles means you only get answers to one. We are looking at the bigger picture so we can get a comprehensive analysis and develop a treatment plan that will eliminate the chronic pain these patients have often lived with for years.”
Those who have found relief thanks to these tests, and the subsequent treatment, want to spread awareness for this painful and often overlooked disorder. In fact, the TMJ Association conducted a survey and found that TMJ sufferers want people to, first and foremost, understand the complexity of the condition and to change the misconceptions that surround it.
Dentists that are very passionate in their cause to help those who suffer from the chronic pain associated with TMJ disorders have worked hard to develop innovative treatments through neuromuscular dentistry. They receive specific post-graduate training in neuromuscular dentistry that focuses on not just treating the symptoms but addressing the overlying problems causing them.
Dr. Abelar says,
“Many dentists just want to jump right into surgery when a patient is diagnosed with TMJ. I have made it my mission to try and change this concerning perception that surgery is the only solution. Neuromuscular dentistry is the future of healing that those with chronic pain associated with TMJ have been searching for. Talking to your dentist about getting tested is the first step to begin the process of healing if you are hurting.”
Even the American Association for Dental Research suggests conservative and therapeutic treatments for patients suffering from TMJ. Gone are the days of assuming that all those who suffer from TMJ disorders require a broken jaw to heal, an idea that in itself is barbaric.
