Health Technology In Dentistry Today

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Health Technology In Dentistry Today

When you can no longer look in the mirror because you hate seeing your recessed jaw or you suffer from jaw joint and/or head and neck pains, your dentist is usually the last professional that comes to mind. Is it possible to find a non-surgical solution for these types of problems? Absolutely.

Technology has allowed us to be very precise in our diagnosis and treatment of these common concerns that many people have. For a heart problem, one would go to the cardiologist and get an EKG. Leads attached to the chest pick up heart muscle information, allowing the cardiologist to diagnose if the heart is functioning properly.

In dentistry, we have the same ability to use EMG leads to gather similar muscular information, which allows the dentist to find the “sweet spot” for a misaligned bite. Many times, the jaw has been pushed back and upward, compressing the jaw joints. This in turn changes the alignment of the upper cervical spine.

Like a domino chain reaction, a cascade of muscular and skeletal misalignments then occur, causing pain from the top of the head all the way to the soles of the feet.

The patient who suffers from a weak chin may also suffer from pain issues, snoring and obstructive sleep apnea, and other sleep disturbances, all due to the changes that take place when the bite and oral cavity are not properly aligned.

The information the dentist receives from the EMG is used to create a customized treatment plan that not only decompresses the jaw joints but allows the jaw to float down and forward, leaving you looking younger, healthier, and more facially symmetrical. Beauty is all about balanced symmetry. This EMG information targets the problem and helps direct all the treatment choices. Before this technology was available, a dentist could only guess, using their best judgment to determine the proper bite.

With the aid of this wonderful technology, there is no more guess work. The results that are achieved are very natural and totally comfortable. The patient looks better, but more importantly, they breathe more easily. With the proper realignment of the anatomy of the mouth, snoring is greatly reduced, and the patient is usually nearly pain free. As with every other advancement over the years, the bridge between health and technology is one that that has enriched our lives on a grand scale.