Mary is a 52-year-old woman who presented to our office complaining about daily pain in her jaws that would vary in intensity from day to day but was always present and impactful to her life. She'd been a patient in our practice ten years prior for a short period of time due to jaw tension and pain and periods of limited jaw opening. Our treatment strategy included an oral … [Read more...] about Strategies To Solve Difficult TMD & Orofacial Problems – Case Study
TMJ Problems – When First-Line Therapies Don’t Work
What to do when a nightguard, medications, and a soft diet do not ease your patient’s pain. As most practitioners have come to realize, TMJ problems are common. It has been reported that the overall prevalence of TMJ is approximately 31% for adults and the elderly and 11% for children and adolescents. Some of the most recognizable symptoms include pain, limited jaw … [Read more...] about TMJ Problems – When First-Line Therapies Don’t Work
Rethinking Your Patient’s Pain
I recently read a New York Times article that referenced the work of the late John Sarno, MD, a New York City physician who dedicated his career to one purpose: helping patients recover from back pain. Sarno’s premise was that back pain resulted from suppressed rage, and the expression of pain in the back muscles was a way for the brain to avoid confronting the … [Read more...] about Rethinking Your Patient’s Pain
TMJ & The Pandemic – The Back Story
If you’ve been seeing an increased number of patients with broken or fractured teeth over the past two years, it comes as no surprise. Along with broken and fractured teeth, the pandemic is responsible for a significant increase in the number of patients presenting with aching jaw muscles, sore TMJ joints, headaches, and neck pain. TMD and orofacial pain problems are complex, … [Read more...] about TMJ & The Pandemic – The Back Story
Toothache Pain Beyond The Dental Pulp
Restorative dental practices and dental specialty groups are commonly confronted with familiar patient presentations. The same holds true in my practice, where I focus on orofacial pain and temporomandibular disorders. Many of the challenges I face specifically relate to the complaint of toothache pain that does not have origin in the dental pulp. Therefore, the pain … [Read more...] about Toothache Pain Beyond The Dental Pulp
