Migraines and TMJ

If you suffer from migraines headaches, you know it is an intense head pain that can last for hours or days. For some, it can be totally debilitating. If you have frequent headaches and the best your doctor can do is prescribe pain medication for your migraines, you should look into what neuromuscular dentistry can do for your headaches. The alternative might be migraines for the rest of your life and the need for dulling medications to live with them.

Migraine headaches are a common symptom of TMJ. This is a misalignment of the jaw that can cause numerous pains and discomforts in the head and neck. Most people think of TMJ (tempromandibular joint disorder) as only a cause of jaw pain. However, migraine headaches are a very common symptom and, because of their severity, they are a major cause for people to seek out more advanced treatments. Informed family doctors will also recognize persistent migraines as a symptom of TMJ and make a referral to a neuromuscular dentist.

My training at The Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies qualifies me as one of this area’s top professionals treating TMJ. The neuromuscular approach to treating TMJ is non-invasive. Through the use of measuring technologies, I am able to determine the proper alignment of your jaw to relieve the stress on the jaw joint. In turn, this eliminates all the issues that misalignment is causing on all the connected tissues. The neuroumuscular approach is an effective and non-invasive way to treat TMJ and restore normal function to the jaw joint.

Along with normal function comes relief from TMJ symptoms including migraines. If you suffer from migraine headaches, why not ask me about how TMJ treatment works?

Lasers in Dentistry

The mouth contains a high number of disease causing bacteria. Bacteria that is now being associated with systemic diseases such as Cardiovascular, Diabetes, and Pre-term labor in pregnant women, just to mention the top three. Our practice takes pride in our early detection protocol. Our hygienist have been using lasers in the last 10yrs to treat Periodontal Disease. There very dedicated in continuing there education and keeping up with the newest technology. They are very committed in improving the standard of care and your health. Give us a call to schedule your laser cleaning. 866-76-SMILE

What is Bruxism?

Many people are not aware that they have a condition called Bruxism. But, if you wake up in the morning with a sore jaw or a headache, you may be grinding your teeth at night and that is bruxism.

This can be caused by short-term stress but it can also be part of a chronic, bigger picture issue such as TMJ. In high stress situation, we tend to bear down and grind our teeth. Most people do not realize when they do this during the day and they certainly don’t realize it when they are sleeping. The tension in the muscles from the grinding is what causes inflammation and pain.

If your bruxism is due to stress, stress relief techniques ranging from exercise to counseling to muscle relaxants might be the answer. But in the case of chronic bruxism, treatment for TMJ may be the relief you need. Treatments can range from custom fit nightguards to full treatment for TMJ is the bruxism is a symptom of the TMJ. It is important to treat bruxism to avoid putting undue stress on the teeth, which can lead to receding gums or damage to the tooth.

If you are grinding your teeth at night, causing stiffness in your neck and jaw or headaches, please contact me today about treatment for your bruxism.

Doggie Tidbits

My wife Carolyn and I have had small dogs in our lives for years. Like all our dogs they need tender loving care, and yet it took me a while to realize that they needed oral care as well. I did have them groomed, washed, and there teeth brushed. What I didn't know is that each dog was different and they needed different types of cleanings. Yes, dogs get periodontal disease. Much like humans they require a different frequency in cleanings of there teeth. Now my Veterinarian wanted to heavily sedate my dogs every time they needed there teeth cleaned, which I was reluctant to schedule due to cost because they needed them more often. I did have a dog lose a few teeth because of his periodontal disease. Since then I make it a priority to take the advise and recommendation of my Vet, and my dogs are very healthy. Now 95% of adults and teenagers require more then two cleanings a year. Unfortunately people are insurance driven, and in this economy there's not much extra cash laying around. What you need to remember is your health is very important and who wants to lose a tooth. Hopefully your smart enough not to let your insurance company dictate your health or your family's. Periodontal disease can sneak up on you over the years and do a great deal of damage. They don't call it the "Silent Killer" for nothing. Here's my advice to you. Place all your spare change in a coffee can every day, then at the end of the year, you just might have enough for a one more extra cleaning. Doesn't hurt to try. Every penny counts now a days. Well if you've missed a cleaning, canceled or haven't seen us in a while, give us a call at 866-76-SMILE. Lets get you healthy and keep it that way.

Thinking of whitening your teeth?

There are lots of reasons why teeth whitening is a topic this time of year. Summer is a time for weddings, family reunions, travel and outdoor fun. Generally it is a time when a lot of photos are taken and people want to look their best. That often means teeth whitening.

Whitening is a very common treatment that can be done a number of different ways. It is often the first step someone takes when it comes to cosmetic dentistry and it is also one of the easiest and quickest treatments you can have to improve your smile. That is why teeth whitening is so popular.

When it comes to teeth whitening, you can get over the counter products at your local grocery store or drug store. These over the counter products can be effective but lack the strength of the treatments you can get from a dentist. And, in this case, strength of the chemicals equates to the amount of product and time you need to achieve a result. And, in the end, it makes a difference in what kind of result you will see. Most people who are serious about whitening their teeth wind up at the dentist asking for options even after they have tried the over the counter products.

Most dentists have a take-home whitening kit that you can purchase. Generally, it is more effective than the over the counter products. However, when someone comes to me for whitening, it is usually all about laser whitening. This is the one-hour whitening process we offer where we apply a special chemical to your teeth. That chemical reacts to a light source we place in your mouth and the results are whiter teeth. This is known as chairside whitening or laser whitening.

If you would like more information on whitening your teeth for an upcoming occasion, please contact me.