TMD/TMJ Treatments
Even though you may have been suffering for years with chronic pain caused by Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMD), you can take a deep breath and relax now. TMJ treatment starts providing significant relief right away. Permanent correction can take some time, but it will prevent the ongoing deterioration of your teeth and jaws.
Step one – relieving the pain
Unlike many medical treatments, TMJ treatment relieves pain first, before the problem is corrected. We start with the TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Neural Stimulation) unit. The mild electrical stimulation excites and then relaxes the muscles. It is like a gentle massage from the inside out. Your jaw will be able to reach a relaxed position where your teeth come together comfortably. Dr. Quigless will record this relaxed position.
Step two – realigning your bite
Using the relaxed position as a guide, neuromuscular dentist Dr. Quigless creates a temporary appliance for you to wear which helps to establish the proper bite. This trains your muscles to adhere to the correct position.
Step three – making it permanent
In some cases training the muscles with the orthotic device will correct the problem. However, you may need a more in-depth procedure to make the results permanent. His typically involves modifying your teeth by reshaping the enamel or using crowns.
The importance of TMD treatment
TMD can cause chronic pain, discomfort throughout the body, and even severe depression when pain continues despite repeated attempts at medical treatment. If left untreated it will cause long term deterioration of your teeth and jaw joints. Eventually you can experience tooth loss, and even destruction of the jaw bone. The sooner TMJ is diagnosed and treated the sooner you can be out of pain. Early detection can prevent damage to your teeth and eliminate the need for extensive dental work.
Please see our page of TMD/TMJ Questions for more details – also our main TMJ/TMD page.
If you are experiencing any TMD symptoms you owe it to yourself to get treatment as soon as possible. Dr. Quigless offers a free initial TMD treatment consultation and flexible financing so you do not have to wait any longer. To learn more about TMJ please read our TMD Questions and contact our TMD treatment office right away to schedule your appointment.
(314) 244-3751
Contact Us
8083 Manchester Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63144
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