Denver TMJ Treatment

Traditional medicine tends to take two approaches to treating TMJ Disorder:

• Treat the symptoms
• Surgery

Instead, neuromuscular dentist, Dr. Kevin prefers to take a more conservative approach, and treat the source of TMJ symptoms, which is the imbalance in the bite (or occlusion). This dental principle is called Neuromuscular Dentistry.

The first step in TMJ treatment is to measure how your TMJ joints are currently working. We use a system of computerized sensors called a K7 Evaluation System that can track the movement of your jaw in three dimensions as you open and close your mouth. It also performs electromyography and sonography to tell us how hard your TMJ muscles are working when they open your mouth, when they close, and while they are at rest.

Once we have that baseline data, the next step in TMJ treatment is to relax those stressed-out muscles. We do this using a special piece of equipment called a TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) unit. The TENS sends ultra-low frequency electrical pulses through the skin via electrodes that are adhered to your skin with conductive jelly. The TENS unit is powered by a simple 9 Volt battery, so rest assured, it is completely safe. The pulses of electricity simply relax the muscles by contracting and releasing them. Patients frequently note an immediate reduction or elimination of their TMJ symptoms while tensing in our Denver office for an hour.

After your TMJ joints are good and relaxed, we set you up with the K7 again to see how your TMJ performs. This new set of data allows us to find your jaw's natural, desired, closed position. When we find that relaxed position, we take a full bite impression. This impression is then used to create a neuromuscular orthotic appliance.

The Neuromuscular Orthotic or "Bite Splint"

Sometimes referred to as a "bite splint", a neuromuscular orthotic helps your teeth find the correct position when you close your mouth. This keeps the TMJ in balance and relaxed, thereby alleviating the symptoms of TMJ disorder.

The First Step Toward TMJ Relief

If you're in the Denver area, and you are looking for TMJ treatment, contact our Denver dental office today. Dr. Berry has advanced training and experience in the diagnosis and treatment of TMJ problems. Why not schedule an appointment right now?