DIAGNOSTICS
Painful TMD symptoms and/or damaged TMJs may arise from either:
(1) chronic microtraumatic malocclusion,
(2) acute macrotraumatic injury, or
(3) systemic medical conditions.
TMD patients can (and often do) have more than one of these causes contributing to their symptoms. Migraine headaches, muscle tension-fatigue-spasms, facial tightness-burning-tingling, joint clicking-popping-pressure, limited movement, nausea, tinnitus, vertigo, and related orofacial pains are commonly diagnosed by ENTs, neurologists, DCs, and medical professionals as characteristic of Meniere's disease, Trigeminal Neuralgia, and Cervical Dystonia, among others. A thorough multidisciplinary approach merits evaluation of potential malocclusion.
Our TMD screening appointment will give you a better understanding of the nature of your symptoms and whether your options include conservative dental treatment. Disclusion Time Reduction (DTR) therapy can readily address malocclusion in patients with stable and adapted TMJs. Of course, medical conditions and macrotrauma origins should be screened as a part of determining DTR candidacy.
CRITICAL POINT: TMJ stability and occlusion are intricately connected to one another. Affecting the TMJ's can readily affect the bite, and vice versa! Of utmost importance is a thorough and objective comprehensive diagnosis to determine DTR candidacy. The relationship between occlusion and TMJ health allows dentistry to offer potential relief from muscle fatigue, pain, tension, migraine headaches, and other symptoms.
