LVI and TMD

In Toronto and Mississauga, Ontario

Like early medicine, early dentistry did not have all the answers, certainly not all the best answers.  But continued study and learning about the mouth and its structures are creating advanced and more correct schools of thought that enable your dentists to serve you with better treatments and results.

Las Vegas Institute (LVI)

The Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies (LVI), based in Las Vegas, teaches some of the most advanced techniques, technologies, and concepts in dentistry. It offers advanced training on virtually any structure in the mouth.  LVI is best known for producing some of the world’s leading dentists in the fields of cosmetic and neuromuscular dentistry.

Dr. Niel Elman, one of our talented and dedicated dentists, has received his certification for Aesthetic and Neuromuscular Dentistry from LVI.  These certifications help guarantee that his training and experience will create a healthy, beautiful smile, and allow him to treat neuromuscular disorders of the jaw, also known as TMD.

TMD

TMD, or temporomandibular disorder, refers to a disorder of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), the joints where your jaws connect to your skull.  TMD can be treated through neuromuscular dentistry, which can correct a number of dysfunctions of the TMJ:

• Misalignment
• Clicking or popping
• Difficulty chewing or biting
• Ear aches, headaches, jaw aches, neck pain
• Difficulty hearing or increased ear infections
• Inability to fully open or close the mouth
• Ringing in the ears
• Locking jaw
• Clenching teeth
• Sleep apnea

A large portion of the population suffers from TMD without ever realizing the cause of their headaches, nausea, earaches, or excessive tooth wear.  TMD can accelerate the breakdown of your mouth structures and negatively affect everything from your smile to your general health.

LVI Treatment for TMD

Treating TMD can take several forms.  LVI is one of the leading institutes for the study of TMD and has made huge strides in the discovery of treatments for jaw disorders, as well as understanding how the jaw functions.  Many LVI-trained dentists may use one or more of the following to treat TMD:

• Therapy
• Custom mouth guard/aligner
• TENS unit treatment (low-pulse electronic muscle relaxant)
• Reconstructive dentistry
• Porcelain veneers

Most patients with TMD require two or more of the above treatments, and because many individuals who suffer from severe TMD have also lost tooth structure, it is common for neuromuscular dentists to rebuild that structure through the use of porcelain veneers and reconstructive dentistry.

If you suffer from headaches, jaw pain, or other disorders that might be caused by TMD, please contact Willow Dental Associates today to learn how we can help you, your family, and your neighbors in the Toronto and Mississauga areas of Ontario.