How does your bite (or your occlusion) feel?

When someone asks you how it feels when you bite your teeth together, your response may be "fine." But even if your teeth seem to fit together well, problems can develop if the muscles and joints are overworking. These problems may include:

• Headaches
• Migraines
• Stiff or Sore Neck Muscles
• Stiff or Sore Shoulders
• Sore Jaw Muscles
• Worn Down Teeth
• Loss of Attachment Around Teeth
• Sensitive or Painful Teeth
• Difficulty Opening Your Mouth
• Ringing in Your Ears
• Ear Congestion
• Loss of Hearing
• Dizziness
• Tingling in Your Fingers
• Clicking or Popping Jaw Joint
• Postural Problems

Neuromuscular Dentistry (NMD) considers the entire system that controls the positioning and function of your jaw. It seeks to establish a jaw position based on a harmonious relationship between the three main factors affecting occlusion - the teeth, the muscles and the joints. The resulting jaw position is called the neuromuscular bite.

How is NMD performed?

The secret to a healthy, comfortable, and beautiful smile starts with a sound neuromuscular bite (occlusion).

NMD begins by relaxing the muscles around the jaw with the use of TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Neural Stimulation). The TENS unit is a battery operated electrical muscle stimulator that delivers mild electrical stimulus to the muscles of the facial/jaw area, and possibly to the neck and shoulder area. This stimulation "exercises" these muscles and causes them to relax.  The optimal bite position is determined by utilizing complex jaw tracking (K7) and EMG monitoring equipment to ensure a comfortable bite. 

A plastic appliance called an "orthotic" will be made to keep your bite in its new position. The orthotic is a diagnostic appliance used to obtain and confirm a comfortable and stable occlusion, and it may be worn as an interim step to a more permanent treatment including tooth recontouring, neuromuscular orthodontics, restorative dentistry or a combination of these. The end result will be a comfortable neuromuscular bite.

Are you a candidate for Neuromuscular Dentistry?

There are always several options for you to choose from when deciding on dental treatment. After an initial evaluation, we will discuss these options with you. If you are considering major dental procedures such as reconstruction (including cosmetic dentistry), orthodontics, or dentures, or if you suffer head/neck pain or other "TMJ"-like symptoms, establishing a precise occlusion becomes very important, and is the place to start.