Neuromuscular dentistry

Neuromuscular dentistry is the art and science of using the relaxed position of the muscles of the head and neck to place the jaw into its optimum position. Thirty years of research and clinical experience have shown this technique to be effective in treating patients with various types of head and neck pain. When the jaw is not properly alligned damage can be done to the hard tissue of the teeth as well as causing you to experience muscle soreness, spasms, tinnitus, jaw pain, limited opening or popping and clicking of the joint. Neuromuscular dentistry combines the understanding of the hard and soft tissues and aims at developing a harmonious relationship between the two. Basically, it is the practice of finding the optimal jaw position to alleviate any symptoms and before beginning restorative dentistry. This will greatly increase the longevity of any restorative work you may undertake as well as prolonging the life of you natural teeth.

Neuromuscular Symptoms

Neuromuscular dentistry begins with the use of the myo-monitor. The monitor sends electrical impulses and specifically stimulates the muscles that are responsible for chewing. It eliminates any learned patterns of chewing along with acting as a therapeutic massage, helping eliminate any toxins that may have built up in your muscles. If it is determined that your symptoms are in fact caused by malocclusion, your optimal bite can be determined by following these steps:

1. Deprogramming the muscles of mastication to allow them to assume their optimal functional range. Your muscles of mastication are like the muscles you use to type with in your fingers. They have memory! Just like your fingers know exactly where to go to type a "T", the muscles you use to chew with know exactly how to contract to bring your teeth together. What we want to do is make your muscles forget this position and function in their most optimal contractile zone. This is done using the TENS unit (myo-monitor). Once we have made your muscles "forget" their normal path of contraction we are ready to determine where your teeth should come together for your muscles to be happy. This is called a neruomuscular bite and it is taken at this appointment. This tells us where the teeth would theoretically come together at the muscles most comfortable position. With this information we are able to make an orthotic appliance that will replicate this neuromuscular bite position and help stabilize your bite. This is a completely reversible process at which we usually make no adjustments to your teeth at all.

2. Once your bite is stabilized and we have considerably decreased or eliminated your symptoms, it is time to make permanent adjustments to you. We use the new neuromuscular bite to develop a restorative plan that will permanantly stabilize your bite at this new position. This may require that we place all porcelain crowns on certain teeth, change the shape of some teeth or possibly move teeth with orthodontics. We will recommend what is best for your particular case.