Dentist for Neuromuscular Pain

So many people suffer from pain of the head and face and don’t even know what exactly is the source of this unpleasantness. They think that maybe they are faced with stress or tension and that it is translating itself physically into discomfort and tightness. In fact there are an incredibly large amount of problems that are caused not purely from psychological and emotional problems but from a number of real and sometimes serious conditions that originate in and around the mouth. 

For a long time people have been plagued by issues in their shoulders and necks or suffer from chronic headaches or earaches and have been unable to locate the cause. This does not have to be the case. In fact there is an entire branch of dentistry devoted to addressing these sorts of issues. 

It is called a neuromuscular dentist and they are specialists in dealing with the nerves and muscles that are affected by the position and condition of the jaw. They offer a number of different diagnostic techniques that are able to diagnose conditions a neurologist or general care physician may not use. One of the most common tools a dentist will use to examine the jaw of their patient is a sonogram. Through ultrasound they can watch the motion and movement of all of the different parts of the mouth. They can see if there is scraping or grinding and may be able to see anywhere where there is misalignment.

A neuromuscular dentist also uses a machine to do what is called electromyography in which the electrical activity in the muscles of the face is measured. This allows him to see if things are really becoming relaxed or if there is some continuous clenching that is contributing to discomfort.
Each of these tools is used so that the dentist may determine and correct any issue that is causing a suite of conditions lumped under the term temporomandibular jaw pain or TMJ for short. 

This manifests in a variety of broad symptoms. Some people experience headaches while other have upper back, neck or shoulder pain. Still others feel their problems in their ears. They may have ringing or congestion. Still others have the sensation of a loss of balance. Still others have discomfort in their jaws themselves. They may grind or clench their teeth or have a clicking, grinding, or popping sound when they open their mouths or chew. 

Whatever the symptoms a neuromuscular dentist will suggest a variety of different treatments. They will vary from electrical stimulus to tooth repair to full dentures in some instances. For other surgery is necessary to repair anomalies. If any of these symptoms sound like problems you have experienced or are continuing to experience do not hesitate to call and set up a consultation to see if there is a medical solution to these problems.