Question:
Can someone please put into context "the neuromuscular dentist and disorders
of the TM system"?
Answer:
Wish I could help more. BTW, still no epidemics around of any variety
around here...iatrogenic or otherwise. The dentists and oral surgeons I
know all view TMJ surgery as a last resort in attempting to treat the most
serious TMJ problems.
How do you pronounce your last name? Like "moooo" or "brook" as in a small
stream of water?
It goes on and on and on and on ... in places you don't see. I have very
little understanding of what it is that "these people" are referring to when
they *refer* to their "neuromuscular dentists" ... but they are quite
sought after.
We have dentists that specialize in TMD that practice neuromuscular dentistry.
They concentrate on how the muscles work or don't work together. They take an
xray called a tomograph, use a machine that reads the electrical activity of
facial muscles as the jaw opens and closes and also map a path showing
deviations of the jaw opening and closing.
They are pretty busy, and their results are amazing.
The "Neuromuscular" approach is taught (I think) in Los Vegas. It is a
controversial approach to dentistry where the practitioner uses electrical
sensors to determine muscle activity. The goal seems to be to get the
muscles all relaxed, then record the closing position, and re-build the
occlusion to that location. These people have a big problem with the NTI,
because they don't want to think we can use an inexpensive (relatively)
piece of plastic to accomplish what they do with tens of thousands of
dollars worth of equipment and multiple appointments. Not to mention that
most NTI doctors do not totally re-build the occlusion after comfort is
attained.
Many dentists see the "Neuromuscular" group as a fancy way to sell very
expensive (possibly un-necessary) dentistry.
A neromuscular dentist is one who works out at gold's gym
and is also a bit crazy (neurologic problems).
Since the dentist is 'heavy handed' as a result of being so muscular,
s/he causes TM disorders.
