TMD Treatment Philosophy

When I started my practice in TMD and Orofacial Pain Management in 2004 my motivation was to help get my patents out of pain. This philosophy was due to my direct involvement with my oldest daughter’s TMD problem and the tremendous discomfort she was in before I was educated enough in this field to understand her condition. I am still motivated to relieve my patient’s jaw pain and facial pain patterns as much as I can, but I now have a larger concern to find for them a correct diagnosis.

 

Many patients come to me having already sought TMD treatment from several different practitioners in various fields. This can include their family physician, ENT, dentist, oral surgeon, pain specialist, TMJ specialist and the like. In most cases there has not been a definitive diagnosis of their problem. There is often a lot of guessing at why the patient is suffering. Most patients have been told they have “TMJ” or that their problems arise from clenching their teeth. They are talked into surgery to “fix” their popping jaw or the need to ”fix’ their bite with orthodontics or bite adjustments. Many times the dentist will recommend a nighttime splint in hopes that this will solve their problems. I am not saying that any of these treatments are in and of themselves wrong, but they are wrong if you don’t know the nature of the problem.

 

Every patient is different, and some problems are easier to solve than others. Successfully diagnosing the patient’s condition and providing them with options for them to consider concerning their therapy can only achieve success. I want to help my patients get better, but more importantly I want them to understand what is going on with their TMJ’s as well as their head and neck. Getting the patient out of pain is important, but helping the patient to figure out and understand their problem is my overriding concern.