TMJ Treatments

How Can TMJ Disorders Be Treated?

Neuromuscular dentists first measure the most relaxed position of your jaw to determine the goal for normal jaw positioning. Then we work to realign the bite and restore the teeth and thus the jaw and joints to their optimal position. Once the bite is realigned and the jaw is in place, pain that resulted from the imbalance disappears.

The muscles that control your jaw are powerful yet precise. They can exert enough force to chew a crusty roll or a thick steak, yet can be gentle enough to hold your teeth together when you bite a piece of thread.

Over the past several years, Dr. Peterson has attended numerous continuing education programs at the Las Vegas Institute—the only school of its kind in North America that teaches neuromuscular dentistry. This practice differs from traditional dentistry in that it places emphasis on the mouth and body as a whole, focusing on the harmonious relationship between the teeth, the joints and the nerves and muscles in the head, neck and jaw.

To find the most relaxed position for your jaw, we perform a process called “tensing,” which sends a mild electrical impulse to the muscles—stimulating blood flow and relaxing them completely.
This enables us to establish your most comfortable biting position—which we can also track using our advanced K7 muscle evaluation system. This computerized diagnostic equipment allows us to objectively diagnose and treat your problems.

We use this information to create a custom orthotic that you wear until your bite stabilizes and your symptoms disappear. For many patients, this can happen in as little as a few months. At that point, patients can decide whether to proceed with further treatment to permanently correct the underlying problem.