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TMJ and Neuromuscular Dentistry

Headaches: Diagnosis and Treatment

If you are suffering from headaches of any kind, including those classified as migraines, you are going to want to check this out. You may also want to drop by our office to pick up a video CD of various people who have suffered like you do, where they all followed through on muscular dentistry.

What interested me in this field was that I had suffered severely from head and neck pain, as well as my wife who never knew what it was like to live without a headache. I attended a conference in 1984 featuring a dentist who had treated hundereds of cases like myself and my wife. The sceptics and doubters said that it wouldn't work and didn't make sense. My wife and myself followed through with Neuromuscular dentistry and have been stable (pain-free) ever since. Along with this, we underwent Nucca Chiropractics with Dr. Gordon Hasick, complementing greatly what dental did earlier as we both had quite severe cervical alignment issues. This made me realize that the dentist is not the only provider of care in some situations.

What we do is record muscular activitiy in a stress situation (headache) and also in a relaxed state. We then use that data to determine the correct bite position **Headaches can be caused by improper bite, incorrect cervical vertibrae position, which can also include foot problems. Our bite is very closely related to the position of the head, from messages sent right to the base of the spine.** Therefore, at times, it is important to bring in other health professionals, particularly Nucca Chiropractic and stress management clinicians (Body Talk and Stress expert physicians)

Headaches can come from bite-only, misaligned bite and neck position, along with neck only. Clenching (squeezing your teeth together) or simply said, unmanaged stress, and ignored orthodic issues are what complicate and disturb your body's well being, leading to day to day discomfort.

To learn more about Nucca chiropractics, Body Talk, and Stress management, contact the following Professionals:

  • Dr. Gordon Hasick - Practice of Chiropractic.
  • Amanda Miller - Massage, BodyTalk and Reiki.
  • Dr. B.J. Gorman, M.D. - Special Interest in the Stress Disorders ( 403.288.0414 )

The Diagnostic Appointment:

This appointment involves recording muscle activity via electro-myograph, before and after relaxing the facial muscles with a tens unit. It specifically designed for facial and neck muscles, where it pulses them 40 times per minute, flushing out lactic acid and muscle waste. To record the correct position of the lower jaw, a magnet is placed under the lower front teeth and a motion tracking device follows jaw movement. Please see the photos for what the instrumentation looks like.

This equipment is very similar to that used by medical doctors in reading heart muscle activity, by following data on the screen. To confirm the diagnosis, an appliance is made to correct the bite position, which the patient will wear 24 hours a day for 3 to 6 months. This length of time is needed for the jaw joint to adapt to its new position.

Follow up treatment:

Follow up treatment can take one to the orthotic would involve one of four solutions:

  • Rebuilding the bite on either the upper or lower jaw.
  • Rebuilding the bite on upper and lower jaw (in the event of a really complicated bite).
  • Making a semi-permanent orthotic if finances do not permit either of the above.
  • Braces (orthodontics).