Learn More About the Role Muscles Play in Dentistry
Many individuals do not realize that muscles play an important role in dentistry The science of Neuromuscular Dentistry (NMD) evaluates and treats your overall oral health by considering how your muscles, teeth and joints all work together.
How Muscles Affect Your Occlusion
Your jaw posturing muscles may be over-worked in attempting to maintain your present "programmed" position, even when you think they are relaxed. This condition can lead to a variety of problems including a less than ideal bite, muscle pain or dysfunction, or jaw joint problems. The neuromuscular Dentist determines the jaw position that is associated with relaxed posturing muscles and adjusts or alters your occlusion (bite) to that position.
How the Muscles Are Relaxed
Because the muscles controlling the jaw are subconsciously "programmed" by the brain most individuals have difficulty consciously reaching a truly relaxed state. To help your muscles reach that relaxed state, a device called the Myomonitor is used to deliver gentle electrical stimulation to your muscles.
The Myomonitor is a battery operated electrical stimulator. Mild electrical stimulation is delivered through adhesive patch electrodes attached over nerves that control specific facial muscle groups. The virtually painless stimulus delivered by the Myomonitor will cause your facial and jaw muscles to twitch or pulse one every one and one half seconds. After about 40-60 minutes, this electrically induced "exercise will allow your muscles to overcome their programming and go to a relaxed state.
Getting the Bite Right
Now that your muscles are relaxed, the Neuromuscular Dentist will confirm and record the relaxed position of your jaw by placing a fast setting putty-like material between your teeth. The doctor can now compare your usual occlusion (bite) with the relaxed jaw position to evaluate if your jaw is presently in a near optimal position and determine whether the occlusion should be adjusted.
Home Treatment
The BNS-40, a small portable version of the Myomonitor, is available for home use. Your doctor may provide one or prescribe one for you. The BNS-40 is often prescribed for patients who may experience head or facial pain. If the cause of pain is muscle spasm, the home treatment unit may prove highly effective in breaking up the spasm and providing relief without the use of drugs. The BNS-40 may also be used to "pre-condition" your muscles before coming to the office, saving you and the doctor valuable time in the dental office.
What is Neuromuscular Dentistry?
To understand Neuromuscular Dentistry (NMD), it helps to first know a few things about your occlusion or "bite". Your occlusion is the way that your upper and lower teeth fit together. The muscles of your head and neck posture your jaw and hold the lower teeth close to the upper ones. You don't consciously hold your jaw in this position - it is "programmed" in your brain. Even though the present position "programmed" by your brain seems like it would be the optimal position, it is not always the best one for you.
Neuromuscular Dentistry (NMD) is a term applied to techniques that expand upon the more traditional approach to dentistry that is more mechanically oriented. NMD places the occlusion where the muscles that control the jaw position are at their best for optimal function and comfort.
Is Neuromuscular Dentistry for You?There are always options to consider when you are choosing dental treatment. After initially evaluating your situation, your dentist or treatment counselor will discuss those options with you. NMD becomes one of your options when/if you are contemplating aesthetic or cosmetic, or orthodontic dental procedures.
Additionally, NMD techniques are used to treat patients that suffer from TMJ-like symptoms and to aid in establishing the occlusion for dentures. It is in the cases that establishing the optimal occlusion becomes so important. This is when choosing neuromuscular techniques may have a substantial and positive impact on the outcome of treatment. The relaxed jaw position gives your dentist and added insight that may allow for a faster completion and improve final treatment results.
Feel free to discuss these options further with your dental professional to determine if Neuromuscular Dentistry is right for you.