While traditional dentistry evaluates primarily the teeth, bones, and gums, neuromuscular dentistry works with hard tissues, soft tissues, muscles, and nerves. Neuromuscular dentistry places the jaw into its optimal position, relieving the symptoms associated with TMJ (temporomandibular joint syndrome).
TMJ is a chronic degenerative disease that affects an estimated 50 million Americans. People who suffer from TMJ have an imbalance in the jaw-to-skull relationship, caused by a bad bite (malocclusion).
When the jaw is misaligned, both the hard and soft tissues are affected and many physiological problems can result, such as headaches, jaw pain, neck and shoulder pain, ringing in the ears, and clicking or popping sounds in the jaw joint. In a number of cases, these symptoms are the result of TMJ.
Patients of neuromuscular dentistry experience a range of benefits from decreased or eliminated pain and discomfort to better overall health and longer-lasting dental restorations.
