Goals

Once Dr Timmerman has diagnosed you with TMJ, he can determine the best course of treatment for your specific needs. Typically treatment will follow three steps:

Step 1) Relieve muscle spasm and pain.
The immediate concern for Dr. Timmerman is to provide relief of your symptoms. The best way to do this is by using a technology called ULF-TENS. ULF-TENS stands for Ultra Low Frequency Transcutaneous Electrical Neural Stimulation, but don’t let this term intimidate you. Basically, ULF-TENS is a way to relax muscles with a gentle massage of the muscles. The rhythmic pulsing relaxes the muscles by increasing blood flow and pumping out waste products. ULF-TENS also helps with pain relief by stimulating the body’s production of endorphins, the body’s natural anesthetic.

Step 2) Stabilize the bite.
Often for this step a temporary device, known as an orthotic is worn over the teeth. The orthotic allows Dr. Timmerman to make easy adjustments to the plastic without adjusting the teeth until the bite is stabilized. Once symptoms are relieved and the bite has been stabilized, Dr Timmerman will move on to the next step and permanently adjust your bite to the correct position.

Step 3) Long-term Management.
There are a variety of ways to correct your bite in a more permanent way. Four of the most common of these approaches are outlined below:

• Coronoplasty/Equilibration: Coronoplasty is smoothing and reshaping the enamel of the teeth to correct your bite. It is a simple procedure that does not require anesthesia and can be used when the bite is only slightly misaligned.
• Removable Overlay Partials: These are permanent orthotics that usually fit over the back teeth and are designed to maintain an aligned bite.
• Reconstruction: This approach involves making the teeth higher by using crowns. This permanently realigns the bite and provides structural support for the jaw.
• Orthodontics (Braces): When the teeth are healthy they may be moved to the optimal position using braces.