Dental Orthotics

Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) is a neuromuscular medical condition that affects your muscles and nervous system. It is also one of the reasons why patients experience pain in their shoulders, back, and neck.

The symptoms of TMD may include hearing a popping sound in the jaw and intense jaw pain as you chew or speak. Some effects of TMD may even stop you from having a good night's sleep.

There are several cause factors of TMD,  such as dental trauma, teeth clenching, inflammation of the joints, rheumatoid arthritis, degenerative bone disorder, joint damage, etc. Any damage caused to the jaw joints can be rectified using orthotic appliances.

TMJ Orthotics

An effective way to treat your TMJ is by using dental orthotics. Orthotics are dental appliances used to treat bite misalignments if the patient has been diagnosed with TMD. These dental appliances would be used by the patient under the supervision and specifications of the neuromuscular dentist.

Dental Orthotics have the following goals:

• Protect teeth from sleep bruxism
• Realign the jaw joint
• Help relax the facial and jaw muscles
• Realignment of the patient's bite

Depending on the individual case, the patient would have to wear the orthotic appliance as prescribed by the dentist. Some patients may require wearing TMJ splints throughout the day, while others would only need to wear them during sleep. Patients begin to experience immediate relief from wearing TMJ orthotics such as headaches, jaw pain, etc.

Get a consultation with our dentist to understand more about dental orthotics and their many benefits. Request an appointment with Dr. Tognotti by calling our office at (925) 934 2066 or by placing an appointment online.