Grand Rapids TMJ Treatments

Research in the area of TMJ treatment is making progress on a daily basis. Today’s effective treatments are the fruit of neuromuscular dentists all over the country combining creativity and science to find better solutions. After you undergo your complete TMJ diagnosis, Dr. Jerry Mulder and his team will present solutions designed to first relieve you from pain while moving the misaligned jaw into a new and more comfortable resting position. Dr. Jerry Mulder has an extraordinary track record of success with his TMJ treatment method.

Dr. Jerry Mulder TMJ Treatment Method

Traditional dentistry assumes your present bite position is best for you and attempts to restore your bite around its existing position – what might be considered two-dimensional reconstructive dentistry. Neuromuscular dentistry considers a third dimension – the muscles that control chewing, swallowing, and jaw position.

Using state of the art equipment, Dr. Jerry Mulder measures and studies the pattern of jaw opening and closing through its full range of motion in three dimensions. This also documents the location of your jaw in relation to the upper teeth and measures the activity of the muscles that control the jaw both in function and at rest.

TMJ Before and After Patient Results

Treatment by Dr. Jerry Mulder using a Myomonitor and K7 computer analysis yielded an optimal jaw position in which the patient appears to have had a face lift. The dark circles under her eyes are far less noticeable and her face has a more oval shape. Barb has only been wearing Orthosis for four months.

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» Click here to view other Neuromuscular Treatment results. (Note: Results may vary)

Neuromuscular Evaluation Process

TMD tests are “non-invasive.” The tests begin with a Computerized Mandibular Scan (“CMS”). You then wear very lightweight headgear much as you would wear a pair of glasses. Sensors on the headgear precisely follow the path of the jaw as you open and close your mouth and send the three-dimensional information to the computer as your jaw opens and closes.

Muscle activity is monitored with Surface Electromyography (“SEMG”), a technology similar to an electrocardiogram. After thin wires are attached to the skin by adhesive patches, tiny electrical signals emitted by your muscles are detected and sent to the computer.

Dr. Jerry Mulder will study the sounds of your jaw joints. If so, he will use Joint Vibration Analysis (“JVA”). You wear a headset similar to headphones that hold microphone-like sensors over each jaw joint. The sensors detect the joint sound vibrations as you open and close your mouth and transmit the sound data to the computer.

TMJ Treatment

Once Dr. Jerry Mulder reviews your data, the goal is to establish your relaxed position as your everyday bite position. His treatment goal is to decompress the joint out of socket, relieve you of pain, and become symptom free 3-6 months. Your plan may include any of the following:

• Appliance therapy to decompress the joint and relax the muscles
• Phase 2 options depend on severity of each patient
• Physiotherapy (jaw exercises)
• Surgery (only if other treatments are less successful than hoped)
• Cold laser therapy – relaxes muscle tissue – pushes the lactic acid out of muscles
• Prolotherapy
• Trigger point injection therapy
• Dermal filler injection therapy
• Diet changes
• Working with other referring professionals

Types of Appliances Used for TMJ Treatment

Dual Combination Therapy

Night Time Therapy

Removable/Fixed Neuromuscular Therapy

Dr. Jerry Mulder describes reconstructive dentistry procedures available to our dental patients. Reconstructive dentistry can perfect your smile and change your life! Contact us today to learn more.

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