Neuromuscular Dentistry
The way that Neuromuscular Dentist's achieve relaxation is through the use of electrical muscle stimulation sometimes referred to as TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Neural Stimulation). It is impossible to completely relax your muscles by just asking someone to relax their jaw.
A device is used to deliver gentle stimulation to your muscles to relax them. This device is called the Myomonitor and is battery operated. The electrical stimulation is delivered through adhesive electrodes that will cause your facial muscles to twitch or pulse every one to one and a half seconds.
As tense muscles are exercised the muscles begin to relax and blood flow increases not only bringing more oxygen but also flushing accumulated waste products of metabolism.
This stimulation will allow your muscles to overcome their programming and go to a state of physiologic rest. Once the muscles are relaxed your dentist will record the position of your jaw through a process called bite registration.
Muscle relaxation can be an effective, drug free treatment to relieve pain. This relief is only temporary though, and is likely to return unless the underlying problem is addressed.
The bite registration is taken by placing a fast setting putty between you teeth and guiding your jaw to the correct neuromuscular position using the TENS device. Once the putty begins to set it is then removed and placed on your diagnostic models to fully harden.
The information gained from this bite registration is used in the fabrication of your dental work and also if indicated the fabrication of a splint which can be worn to alleviate symptoms or to ensure that your Neuromuscular occlusion is correct before undergoing advanced dental treatments.