Initial Treatment Protocol

The following is a brief summary of our office treatment protocol for those patients who desire treatment.TMJ CONSULT (Visit 1)
This visit will be about one hour long. The following is what one can anticipate at that consultation.

• Meeting the Doctor and discuss the problem.
• The doctor will present his philosophy, approach and treatment method with options.
• A referral will be given to have the appropriate radiographic imaging be taken at a nearby x-ray facility.
• Diagnostic casts and necessary photographs will be taken when possible.

COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION (Visit 2)

This visit will take on average 3-4 hours with the doctor. The following will give you some idea of what will be accomplished at this visit.

• Thorough review an complete history of the problem.
• Medical/dental history.
• Thorough review of all previous doctors and health care providers recommendations and treatment outcomes.
• Head and neck examination – including muscle palpation and postural.
• Occlusal evaluation.
• TMJ evaluation – sonography (joint sound recordings) reviewed.
• Periodontal examination.
• Thorough review of all radiographs (FMX, panoramic, tomograms, cephalometric, submental vertex, lateral cervical spine, AP coronal trauma series).
• Recording of pre-existing dental conditions.
• A further discussion and interaction with the doctor of treatment options.

NEUROMUSCULAR ANALYSIS (Visit 3)

This visit takes approximately 1 hours. It involves the recording of jaw movements at rest, in function, before and after TENS. Data is gathered from EMG recordings and coordinated with CMS (computerized mandibular scanning – jaw tracking) recordings using measuring instrumentation.  An “optimized-bite” registration that records accurately the optimal physiologic resting position, unique to each patient, is recorded and verified with objective data. The following is a brief outline of the recordings that will be taken.

• Computerized Mandibular Scan (CMS) – K7 Scan 2, 3, 13.
• Electromyographic (EMG) Analysis with low frequency J5 Dental TENS – K7 Scan 6, 9, 10, 11, 12.
• Sonographic Analysis/ Range of Motion Analysis – K7 Scan 15, 16.
• Computerized CMS with simultaneous low frequency J5 Dental TENS (Optimized-Bite) registration to determine a 6 dimensional “physiologic” jaw rest position – K7 Scan 4, 5.

PHASE I GNM THERAPY (Visit 4)

GNM Orthosis Therapy with J5 Dental TENS and K7
This visit usually takes on average 3 hours. This visit comprises the delivery of the gneuromuscular GNM orthotic appliance. The GNM orthotic is custom designed to the exact jaw recordings specification that was accomplished at the previous visit. The computer diagnostics and TENS are also implemented in the refining of the appliance to the patients physiologic resting and functioning musculature.

• Very little doubt is left as to the accuracy, precision and what this protocol accomplishes. It is able to stabilizing the jaw and muscles to their optimal physiologic rest position which is confirmed by measurable diagnostic recorded data in real-time. This data is then recorded to confirm and locate a proper lower jaw to upper cranium relationship.

FOLLOW UP VISITS will be monitored to access the progress of each case.