TMD treatment / Neuromuscular Dentistry

TMD stands for tempero-mandibular dysfunction, or, in simpler terms, disorders of the jaw joints and muscles. Problems in the jaw joints and muscles can cause a variety of symptoms, including:

• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Numbness in the fingers and arms
• Difficulty swallowing
• Limited movement of the jaw
• Clicking or grating sounds in the jaw joints
• Jaw locking – open or closed
• Pain behind the eyes
• Neck, shoulder or back pain
• Facial pain
• Unexplained loosening of the teeth
• Ear aches, stuffiness or ringing in the ears
• Pain or soreness in and around the jaw joints especially upon waking
• Noisy sleep due to grinding of teeth
• Worn tooth surfaces
• Broken or chipped teeth

TMD is often caused by problems with the way the upper and lower teeth mesh together, or the ‘occlusion’. Very often, changes in a patient’s occlusion can affect great reductions in TMD symptoms.

The diagnosis and treatment of occlusal abnormalities and TMD is often called neuromuscular dentistry. Dr Ken Ho has studied TMD and neuromuscular dentistry extensively, and is one of very few dentists in Australia to offer diagnosis and treatment of TMD and occlusal abnormalities using computerized equipment and surface electro-myography. Correct diagnosis and treatment can often bring a marked improvement to chronic symptoms in the head, neck and jaw.