EASE NECK AND JAW PAIN WITH A RANGE OF EFFECTIVE TREATMENTS AT SMYRNA GA DENTIST’S OFFICE

Pain is a leading cause of disability. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports almost half of American adults have had a musculoskeletal pain disorder of the lower back, neck, and joints. A source of this common problem is malocclusion or “bad bite.” So, correcting bite imbalances that improve the appearance of your smile and how well you chew food or speak also represent effective neck and jaw pain treatments at Smyrna Dental and Headache Center.

Drs David A. Lamothe and India L. Collier, an orthodontic specialist, provide multi-faceted approaches to restore balance to your bite, and to improve an array of problems that affect the quality of your life – radiating facial, neck, and jaw pain, as well as conditions such as migraines, earaches, buzzing in the ear (tinnitus), dizziness, and vertigo. Drs Lamothe and Collier have resolved a wide range of debilitating symptoms by treating the source of the problem, rather than by masking these symptoms with pain relief medications and other approaches that don’t get to the heart of the condition.

SINK INTO MALOCCLUSION

Occlusion refers to how teeth are aligned. When you bite down, the upper teeth should extend a bit over the lower teeth, and the tips of the back teeth or molars should fit right into the grooved surfaces of the opposite molar. When you have malocclusion, these teeth are not aligned properly. There is a genetic component; differences between the size of the upper and lower jaws, as well as between the size of the teeth and the jaws, give rise to crowding and an imbalanced bite. Since thumb-sucking and other childhood habits can affect the development of the teeth, the earlier Smyrna Dental and Headache Center can intervene and help to correct these habits, the better. Additional reasons for malocclusion, which can also be expertly treated by dental professionals, include:

• Abnormally shaped, impacted, or extra teeth that interfere with proper positioning and alignment
• Poorly-fitting or worn restorations and dental appliances, such as crowns and retainers
• Post-traumatic injuries; for instance, following jaw fractures
• Airway obstruction; for example, sleep apnea stemming from relaxed tissues in the throat

Pain in the face and neck can certainly have non-dental causes. But persistent aches and pains in the neck, jaw, ear, and neighboring areas are often a hallmark of problems that require dental treatment. For your jaw to function as it should, and for your neck to move without pain, an entire system of components must work in harmony with each other, including the joints, muscles, ligaments, nerves, and vessels. If your bite is not balanced, it places a great deal of stress and strain on the jaw – creating issues with mobility and pain across all these structures that are interconnected.

MULTI-FACETED, TAILORED TREATMENTS … SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT!

After completing a thorough evaluation, using advanced diagnostic imaging and a specialized assessment, the doctors at Smyrna Dental and Headache Center may recommend a combination of home and office treatments, including:

• Replace missing teeth or worn restorations as needed
• Orthodontics to align teeth with braces, aligner trays, or myofunctional appliances
• Oral orthotics or oral appliances to balance the jaw and neck muscles
• Specialized exercises and physical therapy to stretch out and add strength to the muscles
• Low-level, cold laser therapy to stimulate tissue repair and reduce swelling, inflammation, and discomfort
• Electrical stimulation, via application of a low current that stimulates specific nerves and muscles to block pain signals, and relax jaw joints and facial muscles
• Muscle manipulation and massage therapy to ease pain and stiffness at trigger points in the jaw and neck
• Ultrasound to deliver therapeutic heat to increase circulation in soft tissues, loosen tight muscles, heal injured tissue, and relieve pain

Smyrna Dental and Headache Center is pleased to offer so many minimally invasive and conservative — yet no less effective — treatments, based on an accurate diagnosis following a comprehensive and sophisticated evaluation. Many patients have been able to reduce or eliminate their reliance on pain medications due to therapies that address the actual source of the problem, not just the symptoms.

Don’t let pain manage your life, especially when real relief is within reach, thanks to the trusted team at Smyrna Dental and Headache Center. Call (678) 374-3764 to schedule an appointment at the Smyrna GA office.

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