Neuromuscular Dentistry
What is Neuromuscular Dentistry?
There is so much more to dentistry than many people realize. While most of you are aware of general dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, and sedation dentistry, there is another specialized area of dentistry that treats very common (and painful) disorders of the jaw joints and muscles. Neuromuscular dentistry is the highly specialized branch of dentistry that deals with placing the jaw into its optimal position and relieving the symptoms associated with the painful condition, Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMD or TMJ). Dr. Navdeep Virk in Spokane, Washington, has been treating residents in and around Spokane with this painful disorder for many years, and he can help you, too.
More About Neuromuscular Dentistry
Unlike cosmetic dentistry, neuromuscular dentistry is not concerned with the aesthetics of your teeth or the health of your gums, but because Dr. Virk is both a cosmetic and neuromuscular dentist, he has to change hats depending on what brings you to his practice. Neuromuscular dentists have as their focus the function of the jaw and the health and function of the jaw joints, muscles and tissues. The goal of the neuromuscular dentist is to place the jaw in its optimal position.
Proper alignment allows the jaw joint (known as the temporomandibular joint—TMJ) to move in a smooth fashion and eliminates all tension and pain associated with a misaligned bite (known medically as “malocclusion”). Millions of Americans suffer the pain of TMD, and many don’t even realize it is problem that can be fixed by your neuromuscular dentist. Dr. Virk’s patients often spend years going to medical doctors, taking medications and even having surgeries to fix a “medical” problem that is actually a neuromuscular dentistry problem. Our patients are often shocked, but pleasantly so, that Dr. Virk is able is alleviate the painful symptoms with which they have suffered for years, if not decades.
Symptoms of Temporomandibular Joint Disorder
The symptoms of TMD are numerous and painful. While millions of people have this chronic condition, oftentimes, it goes undetected, and rarely do people even think their symptoms may be associated with a dental type of issue. If you suffer from any combination of the below symptoms, you may have TMD:
- Jaw pain
- Facial pain
- Severe headaches (feel like migraines but are not)
- Shoulder/neck pain, stiffness
- Tingling in the fingers
- Ringing in the ears (medically known as “tinnitus”)
- Facial numbness
- Tightness in the jaw area
- Clicking, popping noises in the jaw area
- Locking of the jaw
Diagnosis and Treatment of TMD
Dr. Virk must first assess the severity of your TMD before developing a suitable treatment plan. We will first measure the most relaxed position of your jaw to determine the goal for jaw re-positioning. Then, we will realign the bite and restore the teeth, the jaw, and the joints to their optimal positions. Once the bite is realigned and the jaw is in place, pain that resulted from the imbalance usually disappears very quickly. You will be amazed at how quickly you get a pain-free life back.
We use various pieces of equipment to test your jaw’s position. Sonography and electromyography are commonly used to record jaw joint sounds and record muscle function of the jaw, respectively.
By combining both computerized mandibular scanning (CMS) or jaw motion analysis (JMA) with TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation), we can locate the best position for your jaw in order to establish your optimal bite position. Some of the most common treatments for TMD are TENS, orthotics (mouth guards), behavioral changes, and, rarely, medication and surgery.
Cutting Edge Dental Care Provided by an Expertly Trained Dentist
Dr. Virk offers his patients some of the most advanced TMD diagnostic and treatment technology available today. Dr. Virk’s practice is one of a kind in the Spokane area; he is dedicated to providing his patients the best, most up-to-date diagnostic and treatment options available. An LVI graduate (The Las Vegas Institute of Advanced Dental Studies), Dr. Virk has dedicated his career to really understanding his patients’ needs and finding the best treatment plan for those needs.
If you live in or around Spokane, Washington and feel you may suffer from TMD, please contact one of the most expertly trained neuromuscular dentists in the area, Dr. Navdeep Virk, today to schedule a confidential consultation.
Dr. Navdeep S. Virk, DDS, is a leading expert in Neuromuscular Dentistry in the Spokane, WA area. He has helped many patients with TMD/TMJ symptoms.