If you have been told that you may need to see a San Diego neuromuscular dentist, you may have many questions. This type of professional takes into consideration many different disciplines of science when it comes to treating patients for certain conditions that deal with the jaw and the surrounding areas. Pathophysiology, anatomy, the form and function of the jaw and joints are evaluated. Also evaluated are the position and relationship of the teeth to each other, the facial muscles, and also the joints of the jaw that will determine what actions need to be taken to correct problems and issues.
The services that a San Diego neuromuscular dentist provides are essential to the well being of patients and the health extends well beyond just the mouth. People use their teeth and jawbones much more than they realize, and there are a slew of problems that can come about if the jawbone is skewed or the alignment is incorrect.
The most common problem that these professionals work to correct is TMJ. This condition is a misalignment of the jaw bones that can cause severe pain for the patient along with many other symptoms, some of which they may not realize are related to the condition. Some of these symptoms may include ringing in the ears, headaches, pain at the joints of where the jawbone connects to the skull, tingling or numbness in the fingers or toes, shoulder, neck, and back pain, a clicking noise in the jaw, clenching the teeth, grinding of the teeth, and many more as well. A San Diego neuromuscular dentist has many devices to relax the muscles, relieve tension, lessen the pain, and stimulate blood flow to the area to help relieve TMJ.
When the teeth and jaws are lined up correctly and they are working together properly, the muscles in the jaw and in the face are able to relax, which prevents unnecessary stress and tension. A bite that is not lined up as it should be can lead to overly stressed muscles that are tight from clenching of the teeth that is sometimes not even conscious. Any San Diego neuromuscular dentist will tell you that when people grind and clench their teeth they run the risk of causing severe damage to their teeth. Unfortunately people grind their teeth so badly that they run the risk of grinding them down until they are severely worn from wear and tear, chipping, cracking, and the teeth cracking.
What follows severe damage is extensive and costly dental work to repair it all. If you have any symptoms that may indicate that you might have TMJ, you may want to contact your San Diego neuromuscular dentist for help before the problem gets severely terrible and painful.