Do you know someone who is making excuses about living with TMJ pain? It happens all the time. Whether it is the popping and clicking jaw, the soreness caused by grinding teeth during sleep, headaches or other pain in the head and neck area, for some reason people tend to avoid TMJ pain. So they take pain relievers or prescription medicines to mask the pain. However, it is not a cure and things tend to get worse if not treated.
One of the main reasons why people tend to put off treatment is that they think major surgery is needed to repair the problem. They may have read this in their research or have been told that by a doctor. If they are thorough in their research, they will also discover the non-invasive neuromuscular treatment. This is the treatment that neuromuscular dentists administer for TMJ that does not include surgery.
My neuromuscular training comes from the world’s leading post-graduate institute on the subject: The Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies. Every day, TMJ suffers are treated successfully by LVI graduates without one jawbone being broken and reset. Our specialized treatment resets the jaw without surgery and places the jaw and all the interconnected tissues back to a normal, functioning position, eliminating the pain and discomfort.
This is good for you to know because many of us know someone who suffers in this condition. They think surgery is the only option and therefore decide to live with their pain. Sometimes simply mentioning the non-invasive neuromuscular option is all that is needed to make a difference.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
New Year’s Dental Resolution
Here's a great idea for the new year put a little extra emphasis on your health care in 2010. Isn't it time to do some of the little things that can lead to better health. Ok... Good idea. So how about starting with a new years dental resolution?
It is so easy to affect a more positive dental health. Most of the steps can be routine. We all know brushing after every meal and flossing daily are everyday tasks you should be doing. However, rushing through brushing and skipping flossing can undo your efforts. Done properly and regularly, brushing and flossing keep your mouth clean but also stimulate the gums. Unhealthy gums are medically connected to heart disease, which is something most people do not realize. So, being more diligent with brushing and flossing can have a huge impact on your health. So, maybe add that to your new years dental resolution.
Regular visits to see me for cleanings will also help nip emerging problems in the bud. In deep cleanings, we make sure that the plaque that causes tooth decay and gum disease is completely removed. I strongly suggest making your cleaning appointments a priority in the coming year.
And, for anyone suffering from symptoms of TMJ, maybe this will be the year when you have had it living with the pain and the headaches. If you are ready to start the year headed toward a pain-free 2010, why not schedule an appointment for a neuromuscular exam. I am trained to treat TMJ pain with non-invasive techniques that change lives. Treating TMj can do much for your mental health as well if the burden of the pain is affecting your functioning or your moods.
And, one last idea for your new years dental resolution. If you or someone you know snores, why not treat the sleep apnea that causes the snoring? Sleep apnea can be life threatening and it clearly affects how you function. Again, non-invasive neuromuscular treatments I offer can treat sleep apnea and improve your overall health.
So, what sounds good for your new years dental resolution? Email me and let me know.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Looking your best for the holidays
As the holidays approach, holiday pictures, parties and social events come up on most of our schedules. It’s a time for your holiday dress, your new haircut or hairstyle and for a beautiful smile.
Keep in mind that you can give your smile an immediate boost with teeth whitening, which is the easiest way to quickly improve the cosmetic appearance of your smile. If you want that little extra boost for your smile and your family photo or holiday party is right around the corner, we can brighten your smile in just one day. In fact, we can do it on your lunch hour.
If you are interested in a more dramatic and permanent improvement, why not take a little time during this holiday season to learn about cosmetic reconstruction. Being an accredited cosmetic dentist and an instructor at The Las Vegas Institute, you can rest easy knowing you are in qualified and caring hands.
Maybe you want to consider this as a gift for a loved one or maybe this is something you have always dreamed of for yourself. Either way, why not start asking some questions now. A new, beautiful, confident smile may be an important part of 2010 for you.
If you have been thinking about improving your smile, please contact me today at 605-342-0989.
Keep in mind that you can give your smile an immediate boost with teeth whitening, which is the easiest way to quickly improve the cosmetic appearance of your smile. If you want that little extra boost for your smile and your family photo or holiday party is right around the corner, we can brighten your smile in just one day. In fact, we can do it on your lunch hour.
If you are interested in a more dramatic and permanent improvement, why not take a little time during this holiday season to learn about cosmetic reconstruction. Being an accredited cosmetic dentist and an instructor at The Las Vegas Institute, you can rest easy knowing you are in qualified and caring hands.
Maybe you want to consider this as a gift for a loved one or maybe this is something you have always dreamed of for yourself. Either way, why not start asking some questions now. A new, beautiful, confident smile may be an important part of 2010 for you.
If you have been thinking about improving your smile, please contact me today at 605-342-0989.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Neuromuscular science and sports
Check out this article on Neuromuscular mouthguards and how they improve performance.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Improving Athletic Performance
No doubt there are some Monday night football fans out there. Well, last week the power of Neuromuscular Dentistry hit the airwaves.
When Jonathan Vilma was traded to New Orleans he brought with him more than his talent, he brought a mouthguard called the PPM which is based upon the science of what I specialize in....Neuromuscular Dentistry. The general manager Mickey Loomis was so
impressed, he had the entire team fitted!
PPM stands for Pure Power Mouthguard. The PPM was created by one of my colleagues at LVI, Dr. Anil Maker. Neuromuscular Dentistry considers the entire system that controls the position and function of your jaw. It seeks to establish a jaw position based upon a harmonious relationship of the teeth, muscles and jaw joints. When this is accomplished, it affects the nervous system in a big way.
The purpose of this blog isn't to sell you a PPM. It is to create awareness around a science and a service that we use everyday as your dentist. We use the same medical grade testing equipment when we relieve the headaches of pain patients, create a snore guard for the sleep apnea patient, or reconstruct a severely damaged bite.
With the likes of Shaq and other pro athletes now benefiting from the science of Neuromuscular Dentistry, we hope that it soon will become a household word.
Until then, I'd love to let you know more about how you may personally benefit!
Go Saints!
When Jonathan Vilma was traded to New Orleans he brought with him more than his talent, he brought a mouthguard called the PPM which is based upon the science of what I specialize in....Neuromuscular Dentistry. The general manager Mickey Loomis was so
impressed, he had the entire team fitted!
PPM stands for Pure Power Mouthguard. The PPM was created by one of my colleagues at LVI, Dr. Anil Maker. Neuromuscular Dentistry considers the entire system that controls the position and function of your jaw. It seeks to establish a jaw position based upon a harmonious relationship of the teeth, muscles and jaw joints. When this is accomplished, it affects the nervous system in a big way.
The purpose of this blog isn't to sell you a PPM. It is to create awareness around a science and a service that we use everyday as your dentist. We use the same medical grade testing equipment when we relieve the headaches of pain patients, create a snore guard for the sleep apnea patient, or reconstruct a severely damaged bite.
With the likes of Shaq and other pro athletes now benefiting from the science of Neuromuscular Dentistry, we hope that it soon will become a household word.
Until then, I'd love to let you know more about how you may personally benefit!
Go Saints!
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Do you snore
Do you snore? If so, there is important information and a special offer in this blog.
Snoring is not normal! In 1/3 of the people who snore it is just a social inconvenience or irritant and actually causes more health problems for your bed partner than yourself. They loose , on average, 1.5 hours of sleep a night thanks to you. However, for the remaining 2/3rds who snore, it is a sign of a very serious and dangerous disorder called sleep apnea/hypopnea.
Sleep apnea is where the body stops breathing entirely for 10 seconds or more. Hypopnea is where only very shallow breaths are taken. Not a big deal if it happens occasionally, but when it is happening hundreds of times a night, there’s a big problem…a lack of oxygen going to the brain and vital organs.
Other risk factors besides snoring include;
➢ Overweight
➢ Aging
➢ Large neck size (men >17…women >14.5)
➢ Narrow dental arches
➢ Enlarged tonsils/adenoids
➢ Allergies
➢
Disorders associated with chronic oxygen deprivation include:
➢ Heart disease
➢ Diabetes
➢ Inability to loose weight
➢ Stroke
➢ Fatigue
➢ Loss of libido
➢ Depression
➢ Irritability, Mood swings
➢ Memory Loss / Mental fog
That statistics are alarming. Studies show a 47% increase risk of premature death if sleep apnea goes undiagnosed and untreated. And if it doesn’t kill you, it may kill someone else. It’s one thing to fall asleep while watching TV and totally another thing to have an episode of “micro-sleep” while behind the wheel with the grandkids in the back seat.
Testing yourself for this silent but serious problem has never been easier. Instead of spending $3500 at a sleep center for a full blown sleep study, there is a home screening test available for only $350. The unit looks like a wrist watch with a couple of sensors attached to it that fit over the index and ring finger. One button is pressed and you go to sleep! It’s that simple. When the unit is returned the next morning the information is downloaded into the computer and your results are printed out for immediate review.
If the results show simple snoring with no sleep disorder then a snoring appliance is indicated. Believe me, your bed partner will appreciate it! I know I do. (On our last trip my husband forgot his appliance and I was a bit grouchy the whole trip because I didn’t sleep well.)
If the results show a problem, then treatment is available for that as well in the form of a custom made appliance specifically designed to keep the airway open at night and allow for maximum oxygenation of the brain and organ systems. Nutritional and lifestyle counseling may also be needed if there is a pH imbalance involved.
If you would like to be tested and have the piece of mind knowing that your snoring isn’t killing you or harming your loved ones, please give us a call at 605-342- 0989.
Yours for better health,
Dr. Kelly
P,S. Snoring in kids can be problem too! I will look at your kids for free and let you know if there’s a potential problem. Just call me at 605.342.0989 and mention this.
P.S.S. The first 3 to call will receive a 10% courtesy off of the home screening test.
Snoring is not normal! In 1/3 of the people who snore it is just a social inconvenience or irritant and actually causes more health problems for your bed partner than yourself. They loose , on average, 1.5 hours of sleep a night thanks to you. However, for the remaining 2/3rds who snore, it is a sign of a very serious and dangerous disorder called sleep apnea/hypopnea.
Sleep apnea is where the body stops breathing entirely for 10 seconds or more. Hypopnea is where only very shallow breaths are taken. Not a big deal if it happens occasionally, but when it is happening hundreds of times a night, there’s a big problem…a lack of oxygen going to the brain and vital organs.
Other risk factors besides snoring include;
➢ Overweight
➢ Aging
➢ Large neck size (men >17…women >14.5)
➢ Narrow dental arches
➢ Enlarged tonsils/adenoids
➢ Allergies
➢
Disorders associated with chronic oxygen deprivation include:
➢ Heart disease
➢ Diabetes
➢ Inability to loose weight
➢ Stroke
➢ Fatigue
➢ Loss of libido
➢ Depression
➢ Irritability, Mood swings
➢ Memory Loss / Mental fog
That statistics are alarming. Studies show a 47% increase risk of premature death if sleep apnea goes undiagnosed and untreated. And if it doesn’t kill you, it may kill someone else. It’s one thing to fall asleep while watching TV and totally another thing to have an episode of “micro-sleep” while behind the wheel with the grandkids in the back seat.
Testing yourself for this silent but serious problem has never been easier. Instead of spending $3500 at a sleep center for a full blown sleep study, there is a home screening test available for only $350. The unit looks like a wrist watch with a couple of sensors attached to it that fit over the index and ring finger. One button is pressed and you go to sleep! It’s that simple. When the unit is returned the next morning the information is downloaded into the computer and your results are printed out for immediate review.
If the results show simple snoring with no sleep disorder then a snoring appliance is indicated. Believe me, your bed partner will appreciate it! I know I do. (On our last trip my husband forgot his appliance and I was a bit grouchy the whole trip because I didn’t sleep well.)
If the results show a problem, then treatment is available for that as well in the form of a custom made appliance specifically designed to keep the airway open at night and allow for maximum oxygenation of the brain and organ systems. Nutritional and lifestyle counseling may also be needed if there is a pH imbalance involved.
If you would like to be tested and have the piece of mind knowing that your snoring isn’t killing you or harming your loved ones, please give us a call at 605-342- 0989.
Yours for better health,
Dr. Kelly
P,S. Snoring in kids can be problem too! I will look at your kids for free and let you know if there’s a potential problem. Just call me at 605.342.0989 and mention this.
P.S.S. The first 3 to call will receive a 10% courtesy off of the home screening test.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Migraines and TMJ
If you suffer from migraines headaches, you know it is an intense head pain that can last for hours or days. For some, it can be totally debilitating. If you have frequent headaches and the best your doctor can do is prescribe pain medication for your migraines, you should look into what neuromuscular dentistry can do for your headaches. The alternative might be migraines for the rest of your life and the need for dulling medications to live with them.
Migraine headaches are a common symptom of TMJ. This is a misalignment of the jaw that can cause numerous pains and discomforts in the head and neck. Most people think of TMJ (tempromandibular joint disorder) as only a cause of jaw pain. However, migraine headaches are a very common symptom and, because of their severity, they are a major cause for people to seek out more advanced treatments. Informed family doctors will also recognize persistent migraines as a symptom of TMJ and make a referral to a neuromuscular dentist.
My training at The Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies qualifies me as one of this area’s top professionals treating TMJ. The neuromuscular approach to treating TMJ is non-invasive. Through the use of measuring technologies, I am able to determine the proper alignment of your jaw to relieve the stress on the jaw joint. In turn, this eliminates all the issues that misalignment is causing on all the connected tissues. The neuroumuscular approach is an effective and non-invasive way to treat TMJ and restore normal function to the jaw joint.
Along with normal function comes relief from TMJ symptoms including migraines. If you suffer from migraine headaches, why not ask me about how TMJ treatment works?
Migraine headaches are a common symptom of TMJ. This is a misalignment of the jaw that can cause numerous pains and discomforts in the head and neck. Most people think of TMJ (tempromandibular joint disorder) as only a cause of jaw pain. However, migraine headaches are a very common symptom and, because of their severity, they are a major cause for people to seek out more advanced treatments. Informed family doctors will also recognize persistent migraines as a symptom of TMJ and make a referral to a neuromuscular dentist.
My training at The Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies qualifies me as one of this area’s top professionals treating TMJ. The neuromuscular approach to treating TMJ is non-invasive. Through the use of measuring technologies, I am able to determine the proper alignment of your jaw to relieve the stress on the jaw joint. In turn, this eliminates all the issues that misalignment is causing on all the connected tissues. The neuroumuscular approach is an effective and non-invasive way to treat TMJ and restore normal function to the jaw joint.
Along with normal function comes relief from TMJ symptoms including migraines. If you suffer from migraine headaches, why not ask me about how TMJ treatment works?
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