Neuromuscular Dentistry

Today's modern aesthetic dental procedures aren't only used to create beautiful smiles. In fact, the techniques of aesthetic dentistry taught at LVI begin with an accurate, healthy, comfortable bite as their foundation and teach us how to bring the jaw into a relaxed position, helping to alleviate years of pain and discomfort.

Neuromuscular dentistry uses relaxed positioning of muscles in the head and neck to place the jaw into an optimal physiologic position. Twenty-five years of research and clinical experience have shown this position to be effective in treating patients with head and neck pain.

Dr. Vaughan is also registered with LVI Advanced Dental Studies which studies Neuromuscular Dentistry. To find out more information that may not be included at jamesvaughandds.com  you can visit  www.leadingdentists.com

Who Is Affected?

Temporomandibular joint disease (also known as TMD or TMJ) affects 75 million people at any one time. It is a chronic degenerative disease that may take years to develop. People who suffer from TMD have a structure imbalance in their jaw-to-skull relationship, caused by a bad bite. The disease causes the following:

• Alteration of the position of the temporomandibular joint by placing excessive pressure on the joint and tissues around them.
• Twisting the jaw into a strained position. This further affects the muscles in the face, back, neck and shoulders.

What Are Symptoms?

You may be a candidate for neuromuscular dentistry if you experience any of the following symptoms on a regular basis:

• Headaches or migraines
• Unexplained loose teeth
• Worn, chipped or cracked teeth
• Cracking, chipping or breaking dental restorations
• Pain or soreness around the jaw joints
• Pain in teeth that seems to move around
• Neck, shoulder or back pain
• Facial pain
• Clicking or grating sounds in the jaw joints
• Limited movement or locking jaw
• Numbness in your fingers and arms
• Congestion or stuffiness of the ears

How Can You Help Me?

Dr. Vaughan is well trained and highly capable of treating the neuromuscular symptoms of a patient with a poor bite (malocclusion). Following a comprehensive examination, the doctor may diagnose malocclusion and recommend a treatment plan that will correct your bite and alleviate pain and discomfort.

To correct this malocclusion, Dr. Vaughan may recommend the use of dental restorations that can precisely raise or lower areas of your bite to create a naturally comfortable position for your jaw. Dr. Vaughan's office currently uses the Myotronics K7 system in diagnosis of TMJ/TMD. He also uses a sophisticated neural muscular stimulator that exercises your facial and jaw muscles so as to bring your bite back into its most relaxed resting position. This bite registration serves as the foundation for the aesthetic restoration, and the smile is designed so that the teeth will habitually meet in this this relaxed position.

How Will I Look Following The Treatment?

We find that many patients experience a moderate to significant change in their facial appearance following completion of the treatment. Patients with recessed lower jaws may have a new profile, accenting a stronger jaw line and chin. Areas of the jaw that may have protruded excessively will be pulled back in alignment. In addition, all of the restorations necessary to correct the bite will be created with consideration to the aesthetic result of the smile. Not only will this procedure correct pain, it will give patients the smile they have always dreamed about.