Neuromuscular Orthodontics Treatment
First, we’ll have you come into our office for a smile assessment. After we assess your jaw and your bite, we’ll help you determine your smile needs. At this point, we’ll let you know if we notice any jaw misalignment, temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), or sleep apnea.
If we detect any problems with your jaw or your bite, then we’ll recommend orthodontic treatment. Also, if we notice sleep apnea, we’ll make sure that you are getting the proper apnea treatment before and during your orthodontic treatment.
Next, we’ll sit down with you and discuss your options. Our team will help you decide on the best orthodontic treatment for your lifestyle and goals. With the desired results in mind, we will develop a treatment plan and timeline.
The Benefits of Neuromuscular Treatment
There are many benefits of neuromuscular orthodontics. First, we treat our patients with TMJ for pain relief. If you experience TMJ, then you must know all about pain in your head, jaw, and neck. With this treatment, we can help relieve that pain and reduce other TMJ symptoms.
Additionally, these treatments can open your airway for better airflow. Not only does this help with sleep apnea, but it also helps with daytime fatigue.
With orthodontic treatment, your dentist can also help improve your appearance. For example, a sagging jawline can lead to a sunken face and a receding chin. With corrective measures and custom treatment, your jaw will enhance your facial features.
Technology for Neuromuscular Orthodontics
Our Anchorage dental team invests in the best technology to serve you and your smile goals better. For neuromuscular orthodontics, we use TENS and myotronics to guide your teeth into place.
We use TENS, or Transcutaneous Electrical Neural Stimulation, to relax the muscles in your face and jaw. Generally, this allows for Dr. Crosby to see the underlying issues. Also, the relaxation actually helps relieve your pain while we come up with a treatment plan.
Additionally, our dental team uses the Myotronics K7 Evaluation System to learn more about your jaw and its movements. In order to perform an assessment, we place sensors on your jaw to track its movement in real-time. The system also takes account of small noises to capture any clicking or popping sounds.
Based on the results, Dr. Crosby and our dental team will develop a plan to get your jaw in the right position. We’ll use a variety of orthodontic procedures from traditional braces to a full mouth reconstruction to relieve your pain long-term.
Misaligned Bites Lead to Other Problems
Instead of fixing only the aesthetic problems, neuromuscular dentistry goes to the roots of your oral issues. In other words, we can help restructure your smile. Unfortunately, a crooked bite affects more than your smile. In fact, all of the muscles, nerves, ligaments, and bones in your head and neck rely on your jaw. Therefore, misalignment can cause various problems, including the following.
- Sleep disorders
- Difficulty with speaking, eating, chewing, and swallowing
- Tinnitus or hearing issues
- Migraines, headaches, or neck pain
- Allergies
- Fibromyalgia
All of these symptoms directly relate to the functions of your bite and jaw position. If you experience one or more of these symptoms, you might benefit from orthodontics.
Your Neuromuscular Orthodontics Expert in Anchorage
Do you experience jaw pain, headaches, or discomfort in your neck? If you do, then you could benefit from orthodontic treatment. Our dental team wants you to love your smile and feel amazing showing it off. That’s why we dedicate our time to holistic treatment.
Dr. Crosby is the only dentist in Anchorage certified in neuromuscular orthodontics. When you see him with symptoms of TMJ, sleep apnea, or misalignment, he’ll do everything he can to make you feel better.
Schedule a consultation with Dr. Crosby by calling us at (907) 277-1098.
