OUR SERVICES / NEUROMUSCULAR DENTISTRY
NEUROMUSCULAR DENTISTRY Q&A;
If you experience pain in your head, jaw, neck, or face, you could be suffering from neuromuscular dysfunction. Fortunately, the expert team at Inspira Advanced Dentistry, with two offices in San Jose and another in Saratoga, California, use neuromuscular dentistry to ease your discomfort and give you a better quality of life. Call the office nearest you to schedule an appointment or book one online.
What is neuromuscular dentistry?
Neuromuscular dentistry deals with treating unexplained pain in your head, neck, and face where nerve endings are. Neuromuscular dysfunction includes pain related to imbalances in the bite of your teeth, irregular jaw joints, or inflammation of facial tissues.
Treatment at Inspira Advanced Dentistry can offer you relief.
What are the symptoms of neuromuscular dysfunction?
The symptoms of neuromuscular dysfunction, including temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, include:
- Jaw pain
- Facial pain
- Neck pain
- Headaches
- Migraines
- Popping sounds in the jaw
- Facial spasms
- Tooth sensitivity
- Ringing in your ears
These symptoms can feel crippling when left untreated. But you don’t have to live with them.
What causes neuromuscular dysfunction?
Common causes of neuromuscular dysfunction include:
- Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders
- Misaligned bite
- Jaw trauma
- Tooth loss
- Stress
- Jaw clenching
- Jaw grinding
- Sleep apnea
At the first sign of neuromuscular problems and discomfort, see the Inspira Advanced Dentistry team for an evaluation.
Is neuromuscular dentistry right for me?
Your provider talks with you about your symptoms and medical history to determine if neuromuscular dentistry is right for you. They examine your teeth, gums, mouth, and jaw and evaluate your jaw’s joint range of motion. Your dental team takes and reviews dental X-rays to diagnose your condition and develop an effective treatment.
What are common neuromuscular dentistry treatments?
To reduce TMJ discomfort and other kinds of facial, jaw, head, or neck pain, your Inspira Advanced Dentistry provider could recommend one or more of the following treatments:
Oral appliances
Wearing an oral appliance in your mouth can reduce the pain associated with jaw clenching and teeth grinding, also called bruxism.
Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS)
TENS uses low-voltage electrical currents to relieve the pain of TMJ disorders.
Ultrasound therapy
Ultrasound therapy uses high-frequency sound waves to reduce the pain linked to neuromuscular dysfunction.
Trigger point injections
Your dentist can place trigger point injections into targeted areas of your face to relax tight muscles responsible for face, neck, or headache pain.
These and other neuromuscular dentistry procedures soothe the muscles surrounding your jaw joint, decreasing TMJ pain.
Don’t let facial, neck, or head pain caused by neuromuscular dysfunction take away from your quality of life. Simple treatments are within reach at Inspira Advanced Dentistry. Call the office nearest you to schedule an appointment or book one online today.