At TMJ & Sleep Disorders of Michigan, Dr. Jerry Mulder and Dr. Allyson Mulder understand that patients who suffer from TMJ disorder may live with the ailment and its consequences for years before finding relief. Our Grand Rapids doctors are committed to helping any TMJ patient we see, find relief and treatment. As a result, we offer a wide variety of therapeutic methods by using advanced technologies to help provide you with relief.
Here are some ways that TMJ & Sleep Disorders of Michigan uses technology when applying therapies to help TMJ patients.
Cold Laser Therapy
Laser technology has been a key component of care for dental practices working at the cutting edge of the field. When treating TMJ disorder, cold laser therapy can be used to treat pain and inflammation in the jaw joints. Administered directly through the cheek, cold lasers relax jaw muscle tissue by breaking down the accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles. Receiving a cold laser treatment only takes approximately 10 minutes, and patients start to feel a difference after as few as five treatments.
Prolotherapy and Trigger Point Injections
These are two procedures that can be used to treat jaw pain, neck pain, and headaches that occur as a result of TMJ disorder.
Prolotherapy, which is short for proliferative therapy, is a tried-and-true orthopedic procedure. An injection is made to stimulate the natural healing process of the body, working to strengthen and repair joints and connective tissue that may be injured, damaged, or causing pain. Connective tissue and joints easily can become overly strained and destabilized due to a case of TMJ disorder. A properly administered injection of prolotherapy repairs the weakened area and encourages the growth of new collagen tissue, helping to stabilize the joint and resolve any pain related to TMJ disorder.
A trigger point injection (or TPI for short) is ideal for treating referred pain, which often occurs in cases of TMJ disorder, as patients feel pain in areas where there is no obvious problem. For example, a patient with an advanced case of TMJ disorder may feel pain in the neck, shoulders, and back, even though the root of the problem is coming from the jaw joints. A trigger point injection can identify the source of these symptoms, making it invaluable for an experienced TMJ specialist in Grand Rapids, as TMJ disorder can be one of the most challenging ailments to diagnose properly in all of medical science.
Dermal Filler Injection Therapy
You may think of filler injection therapy as a purely cosmetic procedure to smooth the appearance of older or wrinkled skin, but they can be a tremendous alternative treatment for treating cases of TMJ disorder. Injected into facial muscles, dermal fillers can relieve the jaw tension experienced by many TMJ patients. These injections are used most commonly to alleviate the painful headaches that TMJ patients experience. In many cases, these headaches are severe and frequent enough that they can be misdiagnosed as migraines.
The use of dermal fillers is not yet widespread in dentistry, but dentists already are well equipped to use these treatments thanks to their extensive training in administering injections to the mouth. Many patients with TMJ disorder who receive dermal fillers start to feel relief a day or two after the treatments.
Natural TMJ Therapy in Grand Rapids
If you think you have TMJ disorder or you have been diagnosed with this ailment by another medical professional, then you can be sure the doctors at TMJ & Sleep Disorders of Michigan will do whatever it takes to help you find relief and find the right treatment for you. Call us today at (616) 929-0892 to schedule your FREE consultation with our TMJ and Sleep Apnea specialists.
TMJ & Sleep Disorders of Michigan is here to serve patients in the areas of Grand Rapids, Holland, and Big Rapids, Michigan.