WHAT IS NEUROMUSCULAR DENTISTRY (NMD)?

Neuromuscular Dentistry

Dental problems are pretty common all over the world. But what is it the actual concern is that most of the people have no awareness of the degree of oral problems that they might have.

What is Neuromuscular Dentistry?

The term though seems difficult, but the explanation of is quite wholesome and but simple. Neuromuscular dentistry deals with the entire oral. This includes not only the teeth but also the placement of bones inside and how the muscle, ligaments and even cartilages work together to perform oral activities.

TENS Treatment

Transcutaneous Electrical Neural Stimulation which is popularly known as (TENS) has been and still in use for relaxing the masticatory musculature. The hyperactivity of the Masticatory muscle is regarded as a significant factor that promotes TMD. So the patients are treated with an electrical stimulus in the efferent motor fibers such that TENS can result in the increase of muscle resting length. Further, TENS treatment also helps in creating a neuromuscular maxillomandibular relationship because it induces a muscularly contracted involuntary arc which acts as a closure.

Why is NMD important and why train yourself in NMD?

There are many scientific treatments that have come up which is considered important because of its “no pain” guarantee.

1. Jaw Tracking
   The initial and most important step, that includes the recording of data correspondent to the skull to provide info on the treatment process.
2. Electromyography
   With the help of this equipment electrical activities of the resting muscles are recorded and then the tonicity of the same is checked. As stated earlier that the causes are treated, so this machine helps in the evaluation of the causes such as injuries, damaged tissue and much more.
3. Sonography
   The sensitive vibrations that are emitted in this treatment process help in accessing the degree of damage in the jaw or determining the status of the disc present in the joint.
4. Dental sleep medicines
   It is only a trained dentist who applies this kind of oral pills. It needed to treat OSA which is a kind of sleeping disorder that occurs due to dental problems.

The treatment does not simply give reliefs which are short-term and based on the symptoms but is based on the causes.

The treatment is further helpful because it gives the patient relief from neck and headache. In different sports activity, an artificial mouth guard is built according to the Myocentric occlusion that is worn during activities. However, people who have reached ankylosis stage, NMD cannot be treated without surgery. The number of doctors treating the same is very low so getting trained in NMD would be like another feather in the cap for the physicians who treat OSA and TMD from the same cause and spread awareness of it too.

Cervical Posturology

It is basically a study that deals with the treatment of numbness, aches, and pains after studying its “causes”. Any change in the condylar position would change the position of head, spine, hips ankles and other joints which would result in pains. So, in this process not only a medicine is prescribed but at the same time, certain exercises magnets and even recommendation of physiotherapist is also given.
Form a minor dental problem to some serious issues concerning oral health, checkups are always necessary. Neuromuscular Dentistry is for realigning the jaw and gets the patient relieved of the pain of TMD or Temporomandibular Disorder, for treating the same, special practices are required and another thing that is important is the spread of its awareness.

Authored by Dr. ABHIMANYU CHATURVEDI