What is Neuromuscular Dentistry?
Northern Virginia including Tysons Corner, Fairfax, Reston, Alexandria, Arlington, Washington D.C. and surrounding areas
There are many different types of dentists these days. Many dentists are trained in all aspects of dentistry while others may specialize in a certain field. A neuromuscular dentist, like Dr. Michael Chung at Softouch Dental Care, uses an approach that involves examining the entire mouth and jaw area. He will focus on the nerves and muscles and the correct positioning of the temporomandibular joint, which is the joint that connects the jaw to the skull. All of these aspects work together, and if one of them is malfunctioning then some painful problems may occur.
Dr. Chung will perform a thorough evaluation to see if the patient has temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). TMD is basically a misaligned jaw joint that causes many painful issues. Many people are thought to have some form of TMD, which can be very painful for some. Discomfort in the face, neck, and shoulders muscles are often a sign of TMD, along with clicking and popping in the jaw. However, a neuromuscular dentist, like Dr. Chung, has the remedies you need.
Technology is such an important part of neuromuscular dentistry, and figuring out if the jaw is aligned correctly is no easy task. A few methods to diagnose TMD are::
- Electromyography which is a scan to figure out the tension of the jaw when it is in motion and when it is relaxed.
- A computerized mandibular scan might follow which tracks all the motions of the jaw so the dentist can determine the correct positioning.
- Sonography, which records all the sounds in your jaw when you move it. Clicks and pops and grinding are signs of TMD.
Neuromuscular dentistry is very important to the overall health of your mouth and all of the muscles and nerves of the head, face, jaw and neck. Visiting your dentist regularly and asking about TMD may just save you years of pain.
If you want to learn more about neuromuscular dentistry in the Washington D.C. area, you should contact the team at Softouch Dental Care, where neuromuscular dentist Dr. Chung can be at your service.