Seattle TMD(Temporomandibular joint disorder)
Did you know that 90% of all headaches and related head and neck pains are caused by Seattle TMJ? More than 23 million people suffer from chronic headaches, which force them to miss more than 157 million workdays a year.
However, more than half of all sufferers never see a doctor, mistakenly believing that there is no treatment. Dr. Keller uses the latest neuromuscular therapy techniques to accurately diagnose and effectively treat TMJ Disorder and its symptoms permanently.
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Call Dr. Keller today for a free exam and consultation on how we can help you.
What is TMJ Dysfunction (TMD)?
The term “TMJ Dysfunction” describes an imbalance in the relationship of the jaw to the skull. This imbalance causes two problems for those that suffer from it. First, it leads to improper alignment of the Temporomandibular Joints (TMJs) which connect these two bones. Secondly, it creates disharmony in the muscles which attach to the bones. The cascade of painful symptoms that arise solely from these two problems is staggering to most people. Although most times the pain is not actually in the TMJs themselves, you can feel your own by pressing your fingers just in front of your ears and opening and closing your mouth.
What are the symptoms of TMJ Seattle/TMD?
Headaches/Migraines
Facial Pain
Ear ringing, pain, or stiffness
Jaw clicking, popping, or pain
Limited jaw movement
Neck and Shoulder pain
Sensitive or sore teeth
Worn or cracked teeth
Tingling or numbness in fingers
How does TMJ cause headaches, facial pain, etc…?
Misalignment of the jaw and disorder in the joints causes the symptoms of TMD in two ways:
First, around the temporomandibular (TMJ) joint itself are nerves and blood vessels that lead to other areas of the head and neck. When the TMJs and jaw are misaligned, it creates excessive pressure on these nerves and blood vessels and pain is perceived as coming from where they eventually lead to (i.e. head, neck, shoulder, etc…) This is what confuses most of those that suffer because the problem isn’t in the actual area of the pain. This is the same mechanism by which a problem in the joints of your spine can lead to numbness or pain in other regions of the body such as your hands or feet.
Secondly, TMD can cause these symptoms by disrupting the balance of the muscles associated with the jaw and skull. The jaw has a precise optimal position for creating balance and harmony in the muscles that attach to it. If this balance is disrupted, as is the case in TMD, these muscles become irritated and overly active eventually leading to muscle fatigue and spasms. Muscles that are excessively fatigued and spasming can be very painful and lead to the cascade of physiological problems and symptoms discussed earlier.
Causes of TMJ Seattle/ TMD
Those that suffer from TMD have an improper jaw-to-skull relationship caused by malocclusion (a bad bite). This “bad bite” can be caused by excessive wearing down of teeth due to clenching or grinding of the teeth (bruxism), a traumatic injury such as a car accident, or simply a naturally improperly positioned bite.
Treatment
Dr. Keller uses state-of-the-art technology to properly diagnose your problem and determine the best course of treatment for your specific needs. Typically the first course of action and immediate concern of the patient is to relieve muscle spasm and pain. The best way to do this is through ULF-TENS technology. ULF-TENS (Ultra-Low-Frequency-Transcutaneous-Electrical-Neural-Stimulation) is a method of relaxing the muscles through gentle rhythmic pulsing, and also serves to determine approximately where your bite placement would be optimal to relieve you of your symptoms. The precise optimal position of your jaw is determined by “K7/EMG” technology. In short, the K7/EMG system monitors muscle activity to determine what bite positioning is best for your TMJs and muscles so they function in harmony and symptom free. Once this position is found, it can be maintained permanently through a variety of approaches, depending on which is best for your case. The four most typical approaches are outline below:
Coronoplasty/Equilibration
Coronoplasty is smoothing and reshaping the enamel of the teeth to correct your bite. It is a simple procedure that does not require anesthesia and can be used when the bite is only slightly misaligned.
Removable Overlay Partials
These are permanent orthotics that usually fit over the back teeth and are designed to maintain an aligned bite.
Reconstruction
This approach involves making the teeth higher by using crowns. This permanently realigns the bite and provides structural support for the jaw.
Orthodontics (Braces)
When the teeth are healthy they may be moved to the optimal position using braces.