When was the last time you tested yourself on your dental vocabulary? Wait, never? Well, don’t worry, we won’t put you to the test either. We do want to introduce you to something that is a bit of a mouthful—pun intended! And that’s neuromuscular dentistry. It’s probably something you’ve never heard of. But if you look at the term, you probably get the sense that it brings together your nervous and muscular systems. And you’d be right. But what does this have to do with dentistry? We’re glad you asked. 

What is neuromuscular dentistry?

As we started to explain previously, neuromuscular dentistry looks to combine the following three components of your body into one holistic unit:

• Teeth
• Muscles (and the associated nerves)
• Joints

Dentists who use this technique can better assess your jaw alignment and how it may contribute to potential health issues. For example, if your jaw is misaligned, you could be experiencing:

• Headaches and migraines: Just like a domino effect, a misaligned jaw can lead to tension in the muscles of your head, causing frequent headaches or even severe migraines.
• Neck and shoulder pain: When your jaw isn’t sitting correctly, it can throw off your posture. This might make you tilt or twist without even realizing it, leading to pain in your neck and shoulders.
• Earaches or tinnitus: Odd as it may seem, jaw problems can actually affect your ears, causing discomfort or a ringing sound known as tinnitus.
• Difficulty chewing or swallowing: A jaw not aligned properly can make it tough to chew your food correctly or swallow comfortably.
• Tooth wear and tear: If your teeth aren’t aligning as they should, they can rub against each other in ways they’re not meant to. And that clenching and grinding can wear down your dental enamel.
• Jaw pain and TMJ disorders: TMJ stands for temporomandibular joint, a fancy term for your jaw joint. Misalignment can stress this joint, leading to pain and other issues requiring attention.

How Neuromuscular Dentistry Works

Now that we know what neuromuscular dentistry is, how does it work? The answer is more technical than many people realize. It goes beyond the typical dental checkup and professional cleanings, using advanced diagnostic tools to understand your dental structure and how it interacts with your nerves and muscles. 

Here are some techniques the best dentist in Dallas, Texas, uses when employing neuromuscular dentistry to treat a patient.

• Computerized jaw tracking: This technology tracks the movement of your jaw in real time. It allows us to identify irregular openings, closings, or side-to-side movements.
• Muscle tension measurements: We use a unique device to measure the muscle tension around your jaw. This helps identify areas of stress or strain that could contribute to discomfort or misalignment.
• Electromyography (EMG): EMG tests the electrical activity in your jaw muscles. It shows whether your muscles are working too hard. When your jaw is working overtime, it can cause pain and even damage.
• Sonography: This technique uses sound waves to detect issues in the jaw joint.

Typical Neuromuscular Dentistry Treatments

With neuromuscular dentistry, we don’t just want to fix what’s wrong. After all, a bandage isn’t always the long-term solution. Rather, we go deeper to identify the root cause of the issue. By fixing the root causes, we can help your jaw and teeth to achieve their proper alignment.

Here’s what we mean:

• Adjusting the bite: Custom-made orthotics or adjustments to existing dental work can help realign the jaw and reduce strain.
• Building strength: Exercises and treatments to strengthen and relax jaw muscles, improving overall function.
• Stress relief techniques: Since stress can exacerbate jaw tension, techniques to manage stress might be recommended. These may include deep-breathing exercises, adding more physical activity to your day, and even getting a massage now and then. Most importantly, they involve identifying the primary sources of your stress so you can make some lifestyle changes.
• Follow-up care: Regular checkups to monitor progress and make any necessary adjustments.

The benefits of neuromuscular dentistry with Dallas Cosmetic Dental.

Our goal as a dental team is not just to help you keep your teeth and gums healthy. We want to help keep the whole of you healthy, so we leverage neuromuscular dentistry to help you feel better when something goes wrong.

Here are a handful of the benefits that you can anticipate: 

• Reduced discomfort in jaw, head, and neck
• Improved chewing and speaking
• Less risk of teeth damage from grinding
• Better sleep by alleviating snoring and sleep apnea
• Dental work lasts longer with correct jaw alignment
• Looks better, with a more aligned face and smile

Who should consider neuromuscular dentistry?

If you are a patient of Dr. Alhadef at Dallas Cosmetic Dental, rest assured that if we identify any issues that could benefit from this type of technology and treatment, we’ll let you know. Typically, if you are experiencing one of the following issues, we think you’ll feel much better with our approach.

• Anyone with frequent headaches or migraines
• People experiencing neck, shoulder, or jaw pain
• Individuals with earaches, tinnitus, or difficulty swallowing
• Those with noticeable wear on their teeth from grinding or clenching
• Patients with TMJ disorders or jaw misalignment

Sore Jaw? Frequent Headaches? Neuromuscular dentistry may be just what the dentist ordered.

We encourage you to request an appointment if you think you can benefit from neuromuscular dentistry. During your consultation, we’ll discuss where you are experiencing pain, and take a look at your teeth, gums, and jaw. Then we’ll put together a treatment plan to get you on the path to recovery and feeling better. Schedule your appointment today.