What is TMJ Biorejuvenation Therapy?
Excessive tooth wear is unfortunately more common than we think. Most people who have tooth wear usually also have chipped teeth, headaches, gum recession and jaw pain.
But it is possible to live without headaches, uncomfortable jaw joints, and your teeth can remain healthy and youthful in appearance. That is the aim of biorejuvenation therapy.
Dr. Schtakleff looks at the whole system: how your joints, teeth, and muscles work together. We do not just treat the symptoms, but the problems themselves. We want you to keep your teeth for a lifetime and prevent further breakdown from disease. She has studied extensively at the Stewart Center for Minimally Invasive Dental Medicine to provide the best and most conservative options for her patients, in Apex and beyond.
Rest assured that this conservative approach is based on decades of scientific research where we take your teeth and jaw position and develop a plan suited just for you. We use digital x-rays of your teeth, jaw joints, airway, photos and models to determine the best treatment for you.
How does TMJ Biorejuvenation work?
We follow a specific patient tailored sequence:
- Consultation and conversation
- TMJ therapy
- Post TMJ therapy consultation
- Restorative treatment
- Post restorative maintenance
We begin with an informative, comprehensive appointment so you can learn about your oral health, current condition of it, and answer all your questions.
Next, we make accurate records that can be transferred to a jaw simulator in order to stabilize your jaw joint. We fabricate a custom clear acrylic orthotic for you to wear 24/7 until your joint stabilizes. We do weekly adjustments as needed to allow for proper seating of the joint into its most stable position. After it is stable (about 90 days of splint wear), then we take a more accurate measurement of your jaws.
Afterwards, we show you the difference in your bite between the original unstable joint position and the new, stable position. We can now accurately see how the teeth can be restored so that the bite now matches the stable joint position. This could include referral to specialists such as orthodontists or oral surgeons, as needed.
During the restorative treatment phase, we establish a stable bite that correlates with your new stable joint position. We use tooth colored bonding, crowns, orthodontics, or a combination that is specially tailored to you.
Finally, it is important to maintain your proper bite and joint positions. Usually it will involve checking the bite at a hygiene visit and occasional bite adjustment to compensate for certain dynamic changes that can occur in the bite over time. These appointments are important in maintaining a healthy, comfortable, stable bite over your lifetime!
Dr. Schtakleff is happy to schedule a consultation with you to determine if biorejuvenation therapy can work for you. Call or email us today!
