Problems with your jaw can have a significant impact on the way you live. Malocclusion (crooked bite) and TMJ are both caused by issues in the airway, muscles, nerves, or ligaments that make up our head and neck. This can not only affect the way a person physically looks, but also how they function on a daily basis. Symptoms can include difficulty breathing, headaches, sleep disorders, tinnitus, and more.
Neuromuscular Orthodontics in Madison is a branch of dentistry that focuses on how the muscles in your jaw affect one another, and their relationship to dental health. This means more than just which muscle groups are strong or weak, it also takes into consideration how they are being used at any given time. Activities that exert pressure, like chewing food or speaking, impact wear over years when your jaw is not aligned properly.
How to Fix It
Treatment can be done in multiple ways. At TMJ & Sleep Center, the biggest part of our treatment is using a set of neuromuscular orthotics. They are custom fit and designed to be worn at all times, including while eating and sleeping. Wearing the orthotic works to slowly align your jaw and improve muscle function.
Get Treatment Started Early
TMJ is genetic. This means that it is never too early to start treatment and get ahead of any damage or pain that may arise. By the time permanent teeth start growing in, TMJ will be present and only continue to get worse over time.
When it is passed down to each generation, there are both intra-capsular and extra-capsular problems in children, meaning that bones in the joint and muscles outside of the joint are malpositioned and dysfunctional. Neuromuscular orthodontics will help address these problems as soon as you have identified them.