Temple Hills Neuromuscular Dentistry - Michael Ntuk, DDS
Beyond the Appearance of a Smile
There are always options for you to choose from when deciding on dental treatment. After an initial evaluation, we will discuss these options with you.
The way your upper and lower teeth come together (your bite or "occlusion") is part of a system of teeth, muscles and joints. If they do not fit together properly, the muscles and joints attempt to accomodate, working to get them together. A misaligned bite often leads to muscles that are overworked when they should be relaxed, leading to various potential problems. Neuromuscular dentistry considers the entire system that controls the positioning and function of your jaw.
To provide you with an optimum bite that gives you a beautiful smile as well as healthy muscles and joints, Dr. Ntuk will evaluate and study the complex relationship between your teeth, jaw joints and muscles, as well as your health history and physical examination. If your habitual (accomodated) bite is a probable cause, Dr. Ntuk will seek to establish a jaw position based on a harmonious relationship of the three main factors affecting occlusion - the teeth, muscles and joints. The resulting relaxed position is called the neuromuscular bite.
Do you suffer from any of these?
Headaches or migraines • limited mouth opening • ear congestion • dizziness •
ringing in the ears • difficulty chewing or swallowing • loose teeth •
clenching or grinding • facial pain • sensitive teeth • neck pain • postural problems •
tingling of the fingertips • hot & cold sensitivity • nervousness or insomnia •
jaw joint pain or noise
Especially if you are considering major dental procedures (veneers, crowns, smile design or dentures) or suffer from head/neck pain, wearing of teeth or other "TMJ" symptoms, establishing a precise occlusion (bite) becomes very important. This is when choosing neuromuscular diagnostic techniques can have a positive and long-term impact on the outcome of treatment. Neuromuscular studies give Dr. Ntuk added insight into what's going on behind just the appearance of your smile, addressing issues that affect your case success, overall health and well-being.
How is NMD Performed?
Neuromuscular dentistry begins with relaxing the muscles around the jaw with the use of a TENS device (Myomonitor). The Myomonitor is a battery operated electrical muscle stimulator that delivers very mild stimulus to the muscles of the facial/jaw area and possible the neck and shoulder area to "exercise" these muscles and cause them to relax. This relaxed position is the basis of the restorative treatment plan to maintain the position. Once the determination has been made of where your bite is relaxed and comfortable, you will be given a short-term appliance called an orthotic to keep your bite in its new position. This is an interim step to a more permanent treatment, but guests love the immediate relief of their relaxed bite and symptoms above. Many guests aren't even aware of how hard their muscles are working to accomodate their bite until they arey relaxed.