Houston TMJ Dentist
Migraine headaches are a common symptom of TMJ disorder
Dr. Thomas Hedge and Dr. Kathy Frazar are well-known TMJ dentists in Houston.
TMJ is an acronym for the temporo-mandibular joint. This is the joint that connects your lower jaw to the base of your skull. It is a complex joint that allows sliding movements, hinge movements, and side-to-side motions. There is no other joint like it in the human body.
There are many things that can go wrong with it.
- Simple arthritis can make it painful.
- Teeth that don’t come together properly can send the muscles that attach to this joint into spasm.
- Injury to the disk in the joint can cause your jaw to lock open or lock shut.
- Pain in the TMJ can be debilitating. It can be a simple ache in the joint, or it can extend to the head and neck. It can be the cause of migraine headaches that can make your life miserable.
Treating TMJ disorder isn’t a simple proposition. A dentist needs an extensive base of knowledge and experience to diagnose the source of the pain, and then to know exactly how to treat it.
Many patients have suffered with this disorder for years, and have gone from dentist to dentist looking for someone with the knowledge and skill to properly treat them.
What is a TMJ Dentist?
There is no recognized specialty in dentistry for treating TMJ. Drs. Hedge and Frazar are licensed as general dentists, but many dentists aren’t comfortable treating this disorder. The problems involved are very complex and most dental schools don’t get that detailed in training for treating it.
As a result, there are several centers in the country that specialize in training dentists in this area. The Las Vegas Institute in Nevada, and the Pankey Institute in Key Biscayne, Florida are two such centers.
TMJ Dentist Credentials
Drs. Thomas Hedge and Kathy Frazar have extensive experience in treating this disorder.
- In fact, Dr. Hedge was an instructor for years at the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies, an institute that is well known for providing advanced training for TMJ dentists.
- Both Dr. Hedge and Dr. Frazar have trained at the Pankey Institute in Florida, another highly respected institute for TMJ training.
The latest developments in treating this disorder include the use of sophisticated neuromuscular sensors that measure the tension in your jaw muscles. There are also high-tech aids, such as the Tech Scan, that helps us in adjusting your bite to be perfectly harmonious. We are also on the cutting edge of Botox and Cold Laser technologies that have been very successfully used.
If you suffer from TMJ disorder, give our Houston TMJ dentists a call, or visit our make an appointment page.