Las Vegas, NV – Your head is home to two of the most complicated joints in your body, notes Dr. David Alpan, a Las Vegas NV orthodontics provider. The jaw bone and its muscles and ligaments are collectively called temporomandibular joint (TMJ). These pieces of the jaw work together to perform some complicated movements, including a mixture of rotating and gliding that you use to open and close your mouth – in addition to chewing and speaking. Difficulties that keep these joints from operating correctly can be labeled TMJ disorders (TMD).
Dr. Alpan, a Las Vegas NV invisible braces provider explains: “Experts agree that most Americans experience some TMD. However, only a small number of these people will get the help they need. If a lot of the symptoms sound familiar to you, seek out a specialist with the experience to provide a variety of treatments.”
Symptoms: TMD Symptoms include:
• Facial pain
• Pain in the jaw
• Neck or shoulder stiffness
• Headaches
• Restricted jaw motion
• Teeth that are broken or worn down
• Tooth pain
• Jaw locking in place
• Arms tingle or feel numb
• Jaw makes a clicking sound when moved
Conditions such as arthritis or injury can cause TMD; however, it’s most often caused by a malocclusion, or bad bite, which results when the upper and lower teeth are not fitting together properly. “Bruxism,” or teeth grinding can also result in TMD. “Whatever causes it,” says Dr. Alpan, a Las Vegas NV Invisalign provider, “TMD is provoked when the facial muscles must stay in an uncomfortable position, causing pain in the face, jaw, neck, and elsewhere.”
Diagnosis: Your dentist will examine you thoroughly, checking your joints and muscles for pain, popping, or difficult movements. The exam may include x-rays or an impression of your teeth that demonstrates how your teeth fit together. You should also fill in your dentist about other details of your medical history.
“However, TMD is frequently misdiagnosed or ignored,” notes Dr. Alpan, a Las Vegas NV orthodontics provider. “Some dentists are not familiar with TMD’s symptoms or treatments. You need to get the right specialist for your issue.”
Treatment: TMD treatment options include:
• Mouth guards
• Orthodontic procedures such as braces
• Dental work such as crowns
• Medication
• Relaxation exercises
• TENS treatment that helps muscles relax
• Surgery (the last resort)
“A good specialist will begin with the least invasive techniques,” says Dr. Alpan, a Las Vegas NV orthodontist. “Most patients have their TMD improved with little trouble. Other patients need more complex treatments.”
About Dr. David Alpan
Dr. David Alpan earned his DDS degree from the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry in San Francisco and became licensed to practice dentistry in California and Nevada in 1996. In 1998, he received his Orthodontic Specialty certificate. He was awarded a Master of Science in Dentistry (MSD) for his masters' thesis on the results of the two-year TMJ research project he did during his orthodontic specialty training.
Dr. David Alpan founded Aesthetic Orthodontics in Los Angeles in 1998 – and in Beverly Hills and Las Vegas in 1999. Every year he and all the members of his team take continuing education courses to keep current with the most modern orthodontic treatment and TMJ treatment methods.
Certified as an Invisalign provider in 1999, Dr. Alpan was hired by Align Technology in 2001 to teach orthodontists and general dentists to become certified Invisalign providers. Since then he taught over 6,000 dentists how to use Invisalign. He has treated over 1,000 patients with Invisalign as of March 2009. He has also served as a consultant and an integral part of the clinical education department for Align Technology.
Dr. David Alpan was certified as a LingualCare iBraces provider in 2001 and as a Damon System Braces provider in 2004.
© 2010 Dr. David Alpan and Master Google. Authorization to post is granted, with the stipulation that Dr. David Alpan and Master Google are credited as sole source. Linking to other sites from this press release is strictly prohibited, with the exception of herein imbedded links.
No comments:
Post a Comment