Dr Patel has had extensive training in the USA at the Pankey Institute on treating complex dental problems associated with the jaw joint and bite. This is often called ‘occlusal disease’.
Common causes of these problems are stress and grinding of teeth at night, which are more apparent nowadays. Careful planning and analysis is required with treatment designed around your individual needs. Often an occlusal splint (nightguard) is the first line solution. This is carefully manufactured and adjusted over a period of time to relax the muscles and place the jaw joint in a comfortable position.
As soon as the pain disappears a certain amount of restorative and/or orthodontic treatment may be required as a long term solution to prevent future problems. A careful treatment plan would depend on the severity of the initial problem.
