Contact our Lake Oswego office - serving Portland, Oregon - to make an appointment with one of our cosmetic dentists.
Contact our Salem office - Salem Dental Studio - serving Salem, Oregon - to make an appointment. Please take a moment to read our privacy policy.
Click here to view all clips and testimonials »
Dr. Steven Lind, DMD
PH. 503-566-7000
Map & Directions
TMD / TMJ
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the joint on either side of your face where the jawbone meets the skull. The joint is one of the most complex in the body, since it has to allow a diverse range of motion, not only up and down, but back and forth, left and right, even in circular motions. And it has to perform all these movements while working around a complex set of nerves, muscles and ligaments that run to and from the ears and the face.
For some people, the temporomandibular joint gets out of alignment, causing what is known as temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). TMD can lead to a number of painful, even debilitating symptoms, including:
- Headaches (often confused with migraines)
- Facial pain around the eyes, ears, and mouth
- Pain in the neck and shoulders
- Ringing in the ears
- Sensitive teeth not traceable to decay
- Numbness or tingling in the arms, hands, or other extremities
- Jaw popping, clicking or grating
- Ear ache
- Limited jaw movement, even jaw locking
Because many of these symptoms are easily confused with other conditions, TMD is a frequently misdiagnosed illness. However, specially trained neuromuscular dentists like Dr. Lind are able to definitively diagnose and treat TMD.
How Does Neuromuscular Differ from General and Cosmetic Dentistry?
Diagnosing TMD
TMD is diagnosed by identifying first one or more of the symptoms of TMD. Then Dr. Lind will examine your jaw and bite to determine whether TMD is a likely cause of your symptoms. MRI quality “moving picture” films of your joints can be utilized to confirm if there is derangement in the joint. Finally, the dentist will utilize the Myotronic K6 diagnostic machine to determine whether and to what degree your TMD can be corrected without surgery.
The K6 is an advanced diagnostic system that has three components for a comprehensive diagnostic of TMD:
- Computerized Mandibular Scanning (CMS) is a biomechanical analysis tool for assessing the movements of your jaw in all directions to within 0.1 millimeters. It detects lateral and vertical movement simultaneously to determine whether your jaw's path is smooth and regular path or the irregular one indicative of tension or friction in movement.
- Electromyograph (EMG) is an electromagnetic system for measuring whether your muscles are in tension when they should be relaxed, and help to determine the ideal rest position.
- Sonograph: Measures the sound of your temporomandibular joint as your jaw moves. It can detect any friction or sudden shifting of the components of the jaw during movement.
TMD Treatment
Once you have been positively diagnosed with TMD, treatment usually follows three steps:
- The first step is to end your pain and discomfort. Often this is done immediately with the use of Transcutaneous Electrical Neural Stimulation (TENS), an electrical massage that stimulates your muscles to relax, take in nutrients, and remove waste products that produce muscle pain.
- Next, the goal is to put your jaw in a position that keeps your jaw muscles from being restressed. Often this involves the use of an orthotic that can hold your teeth in a good position for relaxing your jaw and correcting internal derangement or a possible loose disk in the TMJ. This temporary appliance is used to put your jaw in a healthy position before any permanent restorative work is done.
- Once the ideal position for your bite has been determined, you can receive permanent correction with a neuromuscular restoration of your jaw. Depending on your condition, and your preferred treatment method, this may involve permanent orthotics worn over the back teeth, orthodontics, or reconstruction of your bite using crowns, orthodontics, and/or coronoplasty, the smoothing and reshaping of problem teeth.
To learn more about TMD and the benefits of neuromuscular reconstruction of your jaw, please contact The Art of Smilemaking today to set up a complimentary consultation.
[ back to top ]
