Cosmetic Dentist

Neuromuscular Dentistry

pic1Anchor Point, serving Homer and Kenai Peninsula, Alaska

TMD is a chronic degenerative disease affecting millions of people, causing a vast array of symptoms related to a misaligned bite. Neuromuscular dentistry seeks to resolve both the causes and the painful effects of TMD.

While traditional dentistry evaluates teeth, bones, and gums, neuromuscular dentistry involves the hard and soft tissues, muscles and nerves, in an effort to correct a misaligned bite, called malocclusion, and restore the jaw to its optimal position. A trained neuromuscular dentist can realign your jaw to relieve your symptoms, which may include:

  • Headaches
  • Jaw pain
  • Neck and shoulder pain
  • Ringing in the ears
  • Clicking or popping sounds in the jaw joint

An LVI-trained dentist like Jeff Bartley, DDS, has a specialized understanding of the relationship among your jaw, muscles and nerves, and uses state-of-the-art technology to determine the cause of your pain and the optimal position for your jaw.

Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies (LVI) is the leading training facility for neuromuscular dentists. LVI-trained neuromuscular dentists are specially trained to recognize signs of TMD, commonly misdiagnosed by other dental professionals, and to provide the best solutions for each patient.

The advanced diagnostic equipment Dr. Bartley uses includes:

  • Computerized jaw tracking instruments to record jaw movement, optimum resting position, and closure path
  • Electromyography to measure your jaw's muscle function in stressed and relaxed positions, and to evaluate structural imbalances in the jaw-to-skull relationship
  • Sonography to detect and record abnormalities in jaw joint sounds
  • Jaw x-rays to evaluate joint condition and positioning

Once Dr. Bartley has determined the correct bite and jaw position, treatment options to correct the bite include:

  • Orthotics
  • Orthodontics
  • Restoring teeth to the correct positions

The goals of neuromuscular dentistry for the symptoms of TMD are:

  • Relief of muscle spasms and pain
  • Bite stabilization
  • Long-term management of TMD

Dr. Bartley has been honored to assist numerous patients in getting the relief and the help they need to get back to a full life without pain. If you’re suffering, there is a solution. Please contact our office in Anchor Point today to schedule a consultation.

 

(907)226-3700
Contact Us

34115 Sterling Hwy.
Anchor Point, AK 99556