Neuromuscular Dentistry
Barrie, Ontario - Canada
General dentists are specially trained to keep your teeth and gums healthy. But sometimes your oral health problems extend beyond what is outwardly visible. When the muscles, nerves, soft tissues and hard tissues in your mouth and jaw area become damaged, fatigued or misaligned, it often takes a neuromuscular dentist to identify the problem source and provide treatment.
Dr. Adam Chapnick practices neuromuscular dentistry in his Barrie location. He has had extensive training from the prestigious Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies (LVI) to learn the complex relationship between how your muscles power your temporomandibular jaw joint (TMJ) and how your nerves keep those muscles moving properly.
You have a TMJ on each side of your face that allows you to open your mouth to yawn, chew and speak. When the muscles of your TMJ become inflamed, they can compress the nerves of your head, neck and shoulders and cause varying levels of pain. Neuromuscular dentist Dr. Chapnick can treat the underlying cause of TMJ symptoms by identifying jaw misalignment.
Technology Used in Neuromuscular Dentistry
Jaw misalignment is stealthy. You may be completely unaware that your jaw is out of alignment and causing you pain until it is diagnosed by a neuromuscular dentist. Dr. Chapnick uses a series of processes in a neuromuscular dentistry evaluation:
- Comprehensive examination of your jaw
- Digital X-rays
- Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) unit, which provides low current electrical pulses to relax your jaw
A K7 Evaluation System is also used to determine jaw misalignment through measurement of:
- Jaw sounds (sonography)
- Muscle activity (electromyography)
- Jaw movement (mandibular screening)
Slide handle to view before and after images
Treatments Used in Neuromuscular Dentistry
Once your problem areas have been defined, Dr. Chapnick and his team incorporate both general dentistry and cosmetic dentistry procedures to correct the problems and provide relief. Non-invasive treatments are always his first course of action; jaw joint surgery is a last resort. His goal is to eliminate the painful symptoms of jaw misalignment so you can stop relying on pain pills for relief. Some of the treatments he may incorporate include:
- Appliance therapy: Oral appliances worn at night to keep you from grinding your teeth.
- Invisalign: "Invisible" braces that can gently shift your teeth into the proper position over time. This is also used if you need more space in your mouth to accommodate dental veneers or dental bridges.
- Filling gaps in your smile: Replacing missing teeth to stop teeth shifting through dental bridges or dental implants.
If you have been suffering from jaw pain or other potential symptoms of TMJ/TMD, please contact neuromuscular dentist Dr. Adam Chapnick to schedule a TMJ evaluation at Molson Park Dental Office in Barrie.
