Dental Orthodics

Dental orthotics may resemble a simple night mouth guard, but their function in neuromuscular dentistry is much more important. The orthotic is a critical part of the TMD treatment.

During the process of stabilizing the bite, we will create a custom made, temporary orthotic. Depending on the TMJ patients's needs, the orthotic may be removable or it may be fixed to the teeth. It will work as a splint, gently helping the jaw and correcting the coordination of the biting surfaces of the upper and lower teeth.

For the next few months, the orthotic will be worn by the TMJ patient, with us monitoring the progress. During this time, the jaw muscles will begin to heal themselves and learn to chew, swallow, and even rest in their most relaxed position. In addition to aligning the jaw and retraining its muscles, this neuromuscular dentistry technique also relieves the pain associated with TMD.