The complex design of your teeth, mouth, and jaw joints is truly a wonder of nature. It also has a powerfully symbiotic relationship with the rest of the body and your overall wellness. Yet, stressors of everyday life can compromise teeth and jaws. Dr. Olivia Hart provides safe, non-surgical solutions for patients in the Glen Allen and Glen Allen, Virginia area, including dental appliances and bite guards.
The lives of an estimated ten million Americans – including children – are disrupted by temporomandibular joint, or TMJ, problems. The temporomandibular joints attach your mandible to the skull, allowing the jaw to open and close, slide side to side, and push forward. These motions are necessary to breathe properly, eat, communicate verbally, and make facial expressions.
When the bite is ideally balanced and the body and mind are in harmony, these multifaceted joints function comfortably. Under stress, however, tissues in the TMJs become inflamed, irritating the nerves and limiting the mobility of the mouth.
A conventional approach indicates strong pain medications to mask symptoms of TMJ disorder (TMD), and possibly surgical intervention.
In keeping with a biological practice philosophy, Dr. Hart designs TMJ appliances tailored to the patient. Various types of TMJ appliances are custom-fitted for comfort, and:
Teeth are intended to withstand tremendous bite pressure. Yet, they can easily be damaged by lateral forces from trauma incurred in sports injuries or fractured and worn from bruxing (clenching and grinding). Most people understand the importance of wearing a mouth guard to prevent these issues, but few feel comfortable with a bulky, store-bought appliance. Dr. Hart creates a guard from impressions of your mouth, for exceptional fit and optimal effectiveness.
Have you ever woken up with headaches, sore teeth or jaw pain? If so, does...
At Virginia Biological Dentistry, Glen Allen, VA area patients have a wide variety of services...
