Neuromuscular Diagnostics

IT STARTS WITH ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS

The Neuromuscular Diagnostics Process

Our Chattanooga Sleep Center team uses the latest technology to find your correct jaw posture. Our diagnosis is verified using objective, measurable muscle-movement data.

When you need TMJ treatment in Chattanooga, Dr. White capitalizes on advanced dental technology to improve the comfort, accuracy, and precision of his patient care. Contact the Chattanooga Sleep Center online or call our office directly at (423) 264-2300 to schedule a visit with Dr. Kent White.

“If it can be measured and repeated, it is scientific,” said neuromuscular pioneer Dr. Robert Jankelson. “If it can’t, it is an opinion.”

Forging ahead with treatment from a dentist without completely understanding your overall neuromuscular situation would be like determining whether you have heart disease after only checking your blood pressure. More often than not, the dental technology that we use eliminates unnecessary procedures as we get to the heart of your discomfort and oral health problems.

To begin our neuromuscular approach to patient care, our Exam Coordinator will help you relax during a comfortable, illuminating discovery process. This is a time when we set our sights on helping you realize your dream of living pain-free and forging the foundation for a lasting, beautiful new smile.

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HEADACHES & MIGRAINES

Diagnostic Tools

Here are five tools that Dr. White uses to ensure that he is providing patients with a comprehensive care plan:

3D JAW TRACKING

Referred pain is an unusual condition in which pain from one part of the body is felt in another. This occurs because the brain has to interpret where pain signals are coming from along the trunk of a common nerve. Because the head and jaw communicate along the same nerve, jaw pain can be mistaken instead.

JOINT VIBRATION ANALYSIS (JVA)

Migraines are complex headaches that are not commonly understood yet. They seem to derive from overstimulation of certain key nerves that trigger an adverse response in the brain. The brain releases vasodilators–hormones that cause blood vessels to expand–which creates pain in the head because it leads to pressure on the brain. Migraines cause moderate to severe pain, typically on one side of the head, and they can last for a few hours or a few days. Many people experience symptoms before the migraine begins, such as bright lights or other visual artifacts, called an aura. Most also experience supplemental symptoms such as sensitivity to light, sound, or smells.

TMJ can cause migraines because tense jaw muscles can lead to overstimulation of the trigeminal nerve, the primary trigger point for migraines (though the vagus nerve might also be involved). The trigeminal nerve carries signals to and from the jaw muscles, and several branches of the trigeminal nerve wind under jaw muscles, giving many opportunities for overstimulation related to tense, overworked jaw muscles.

ELECTROMYOGRAPHY (EMG)

Tension headaches are the most common type, account for perhaps 80-90% of all headaches. They are also the type most commonly associated with TMJ. In a tension headache, you may experience a dull, diffuse pain on both sides of your head. Many people describe it as feeling like their head is being tightened in a vise or squeezed with a belt. The pain levels are described as being mild to moderate, but pain levels vary.

TMJ contributes to tension headaches because in TMJ your muscles are often overworked, tense, and tender. These muscle contractions aren’t directly the cause of your headache, but they contribute to the sensitization of your pain system, which is what leads to the headaches.

TRANSCUTANEOUS ELECTRO NEURAL STIMULATION (TENS)

Most doctors agree that true sinus headaches are actually very rare. Instead, what people think of as sinus headaches are actually misdiagnosed migraines or tension headaches. Facial pain in the sinus regions (the face between the nose and eyes) is common in TMJ. Unless you are experiencing thick nasal discharge, and the pain resolves after a few days or goes away with antibiotic treatment, it’s likely that your so-called sinus headaches are actually TMJ related.

PATIENT SUMMARY

Most doctors agree that true sinus headaches are actually very rare. Instead, what people think of as sinus headaches are actually misdiagnosed migraines or tension headaches. Facial pain in the sinus regions (the face between the nose and eyes) is common in TMJ. Unless you are experiencing thick nasal discharge, and the pain resolves after a few days or goes away with antibiotic treatment, it’s likely that your so-called sinus headaches are actually TMJ related.

Dr Kent White | (423) 264-2300 | 1032 McCallie Ave #300A, Chattanooga, TN 374031 | info@chattsleep.com

Dr. Daniel R. Smith | (423) 693-2800 | 1032 McCallie Ave #300, Chattanooga, TN 374031 | info@chattsleep.com

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