Neuromuscular Dentistry

The dental profession has spent decades arguing over whether the jaw joint or the muscles of the head/neck determine how the lower jaw should close and how the teeth should come together.

With that opening you may be asking yourself “What difference does it make?” or “Why should I care?”

For many people, under most circumstances, it really does not make a major difference and they don’t need to care. For most people, both the muscles and the joint are adaptable to a degree. The bones of the jaw joint can adapt themselves to slightly less than ideal locations and remodel/reshape themselves (and the cartilage repositions as needed). The muscles of the face, head, and neck can learn to function just like feet, legs and postural muscles adapt to walking in high heels.

Unfortunately, other things may happen when the closure of the lower jaw doesn’t coincide with how the teeth actually fit. The joint may not adapt and noises, pain, and dysfunction may occur. The muscles may complain loudly to chronic hyper-function or dysfunction in the form of muscle pain and headaches. Teeth may adapt with movement, mobility, bone loss, wear facets, etc. And commonly we see some of each depending on the system most affected.

The growth of the face, breathing patterns, sleeping posture, habits, and generalized joint and muscular issues can add to the problems.

In this office we take a holistic approach to the evaluation and treatment of growth discrepancies, bite problems, temporomandibular disorders, and the subclinical indicators of such problems. And while Dr. White’s background was extensively focused on the gnathological approach (joint focused) for the first 24 years, his own personal issues with TMJ/TMD led him to embrace a more neuromuscular focus for the last 6 years.

Should you or your child present with signs or symptoms of jaw dysfunction, growth discrepancies, or temporo-mandibular disorder (TMJ/TMD), we may employ modalities such as ultrasonic massage, EGS stimulation, TENS therapy, EMG (muscle) monitoring, or computerized jaw tracking for your comfort and support. We work extensively with massotherapists, chiropractors, orthopedic physicians, neurologists, and physical therapists.

In this office we understand that there is more to orthodontics than “just straight teeth”!