Hannibal Cosmetic Dentist | Dr. Janes

Many people who suffer from TMD (Temporomandibular Joint Disorder) are unaware of it. They are aware of the symptoms but do not realize what is causing them. Some have visited a series of physicians in search of pain relief, and have received temporary pain relief in the form of medications, but no treatment for the root of the problem.

The person who can best diagnose and treat TMD is a neuromuscular dentist. Dr. Janes is fully-trained in neuromuscular dentistry and has the technology to diagnosis it and plan an effective treatment for you.

What is TMD?
TMD is a misaligned jaw joint. You can feel those joints by placing a finger in front of each ear and opening your mouth. They are ball-and-socket joints with a cartilage pad cushioning the two bone surfaces.

They can be gradually pushed out of alignment, They can also be suddenly knocked out of alignment by an impact to the side of the head such as you might sustain in a car or sports accident. When you open and close your mouth, the jaw muscles are now stressed and the upper and lower teeth do not meet properly.

A misaligned jaw joint can lead to a misaligned bite, where your teeth continually meet improperly, rubbing or scraping on each other. The jaw muscles keep trying to avoid this, becoming chronically stressed. The teeth can become loosened or prematurely worn down.

TMD Treatment
Each case of TMD is individual, and therefore each TMD treatment is also individual. Once your TMD has been diagnosed, Dr. Janes will have all the data he needs to plan an effective treatment. It may include:
• A customized oral appliance to be worn at night, for retraining the jaw muscles and preventing any night-time tooth grinding or jaw clenching
• Dental work to correct misalignment and wear, and to prevent the teeth from pushing the jaw the wrong way
• Use of a TENS unit to relax the jaw muscles
• Medication

If you have been suffering from unexplained headaches, or from facial pain, earaches, neck or shoulder pain, or limited jaw movement, you may have an undiagnosed case of TMD. A personal consultation would be the first step towards your pain relief.

Please call or email our neuromuscular dentistry office today and we will be happy to start working with you. We serve the areas of Hannibal, Ladue, and St. Louis, Missouri and Quincy, Illinois.