More information about TMJ in Cliffside Park

More Information

Philosophy of Practice

We understand that choosing a dentist and health care team can be a challenge, leaving you with some uncertain feelings. We express our feelings as a form of welcoming you, and to share specifically our concern for you as our patient.

"Our desire is to help the people we serve achieve a higher level of self-esteem and well-being by enhancing the appearance, comfort, and function of their physical and dental health. We provide comprehensive care of the highest quality that is consistent with the patient's value for a healthy life."

Our goal is to help you become as healthy as you choose. Instead of telling you how healthy you should be, we shall help you understand your choices related to living a healthy life and then let you make free and informed decisions.

We are pleasantly committed to you as our patient. In our philosophy of practice, you are a person of great value and importance. Your physical, mental, and emotional health will always be the object of our prime concern.

Excellence begins with a careful diagnosis and the development of a treatment plan to guide us toward the health goals we shall establish together. You have unique health needs, which we shall examine and address candidly and objectively. We shall identify and carefully consider your feelings and preferences. The success of our efforts is assured through a comprehensive examination, diagnosis, analysis and goal setting to achieve an effective MASTER PLAN with which you will be pleased.

Our pledge to you is accurately expressed in these carefully chosen words: quality and excellence. We look upon you as a unique person of infinite worth to those who love and need you. Through our care and concern, we shall reaffirm that worth.

John P. Sousa, DMD and Team

Welcome To Our Practice And Website

Welcome! Congratulations, you have taken the first step toward receiving the comprehensive care for the treatment and management of craniofacial pain and thank you for your interest in our practice.

We have created this web site because we know how hectic life can be and how concerned you are with your health. We want our patients to be informed decision makers, making educated decisions about their health. While it is important that Dr. Sousa complete a comprehensive examination and diagnosis, it is just as important that you understand and agree on a management plan of treatment.

Our web site provides you with the education, qualifications and experience of Dr. John Sousa. As you navigate our site, you’ll find information about our practice philosophy, comprehensive services, insurance policy, financial considerations and other useful information. You can even email an appointment request right here!

Please take a few minutes to look through our site to get a better feel for our comprehensive services and personal commitment. We hope you find our web site helpful and invite you to contract us with your concerns at any time.

What is neuromuscular dentistry?

Neuromuscular dentistry differs from "traditional" dentistry in the emphasis that is placed upon the health of the jaw joints and the activity of the muscles that move the jaw. Unlike neuromuscular dentistry, traditional dentistry uses the position of the jaw established when all the biting surfaces of the teeth come together as a reference point to restore teeth.

Neuromuscular dentistry recognizes the importance of having a balanced and stable jaw position before restoring teeth. It creates, stabilizes and maintains a harmonious relationship among the teeth, jaw joints, and head and neck muscles. The complex system of teeth, muscles and joints must function without stress, strain or tension. Stress causes fatigue and pain.

Over time, when teeth, joints and muscles are in conflict, resulting symptoms can occur:

Headaches

Clenching or grinding

Pain, clicking and popping in joints

Neck, shoulder and back pain

Loose teeth

Worn, chipped, or cracked teeth and fillings

Numbness in arms and fingers

Ringing or congestion in the ears

Pain behind the eyes

Facial pain

Difficulty swallowing

Pain and sensitivity in teeth

Crowded teeth

Periodontal disease

The first goal of neuromuscular dentistry is to find the position of the jaw where the muscles are relaxed. This three dimensional position is often very different than the stressful position in which your teeth have held your jaw for many years.

With the principles and techniques of neuromuscular dentistry, we can help you achieve a more comfortable and healthier smile.

Craniofacial Pain/TMJ/Sleep Apnea Checklist

CRANIOFACIAL PAIN – HEADACHES

SNORING/SLEEP APNEA CHECKLIST

If you answer “yes” to a number of these questions, it may be

beneficial for you to have a comprehensive TMJ examination.

Some of the questions may seem unrelated, but they provide a

preliminary diagnostic screening to help us discover the source of

any chronic pain (headaches, neck/shoulders, ears) you may have.

Name: _______________________________________________Date: ________________________None: 

 Do you snore or have diagnosed sleep apnea?

 Are you living with painful chronic headaches?

 Do prescription drugs no longer relieve your symptoms?

 Is it painful, or sore, when you press on your jaw joints?

 Do you have a grating, clicking, cracking or popping sound in your jaw joints

when you chew?

 Do you have pain or soreness in any of the following areas: jaw, jaw joints,

neck/shoulder muscles, temporal muscles, back of head or behind your eyes?

 Do you have sensations of stuffiness, pressure or blockage in you ears?

 Have your jaw joints ever become locked?

 Do your ears produce excessive earwax?

 Do you have ringing, roaring, hissing or buzzing sounds in your ears?

 Do you ever feel dizzy or faint?

 Are you ever nauseous for no apparent reason?

 Do you fatigue easily or consider yourself chronically fatigued?

 Does your tongue go between your front teeth when you swallow?

 Do your fingers go numb for no apparent reason?

 Is it hard for you to move your jaw from side to side, forward or backward?

 Do you have difficulty chewing your food?

 Do you have missing teeth?

 Have you had extensive dental crowns or bridgework?

 Do you clench your teeth during the day or night?

 Do you grind your teeth at night?

 Have you ever had whiplash injury?

 Have you ever worn a cervical collar or had head/neck traction?

 Have you ever experienced a blow to the chin, face or head?

 Does chewing gum start your symptoms?

 Are you unable to comfortably insert your first three fingers vertically into

your mouth when it is opened wide?

Migraines/Headaches/Neck Pain

An estimated 80% of all headaches occur from muscle tension. Many tension headaches are related to your bite. Approximately 40% of all “healthy” people suffer from chronic headaches. Today, there is a growing realization that a common cause of tension headaches is the mal-alignment of the jaw to the skull, a craniomandibular dysfunction.

Tension headaches result from muscle stress or strain. Specific signs which indicate your headache may have a dental origin include: pain behind the eyes, sore or tired jaw muscles upon awakening, grinding teeth, clicking/popping jaw joints or scalp painful to the touch. The muscles that control your jaw and hold your head upright are very complex. If your jaw is unstable (unbalanced), the muscles must work harder to bring your teeth together, the resulting stress causes a tension headache.

When muscles are tense they shorten. When even a single jaw, neck or shoulder muscle becomes shortened, all of the other muscles are forced to overwork to keep the head balanced on top of the spinal column. We understand then that dental tension headache pain originates from an unstable bite that causes stress in the muscles of the jaw, head and neck. The pain makes you feel tense and uptight. This worsens the muscle spasm, which in turn increases the pain.

Chronic head and neck pain patients do not always respond to physical therapy or medical treatment as well as expected. Patients, who have unresolved headaches, neck and shoulder pain, earaches, or dizziness, may have an undiagnosed craniomandibular dysfunction. Because of the nature of the typical subjective symptoms associated with this disorder patients frequently seek treatment from physicians for their primary care. However, many patients never think to seek the special training of a qualified TMD/TMJ dentist to evaluate the craniomandibular system of bones, joints and muscles.

Are you living with headaches, neck or facial pain?

Are you tired and frustrated with treatment that just hasn’t worked?

Learn what we already know about your pain. Please contact our office at (877) 505-5186 .

Your health is your most precious possession.

TMJ Treatment

TMJ disorder describes a variety of conditions affecting the temporomandibular joint (the point where the jaw opens and closes) and nerves related to chronic facial pain. These problems are now more easily diagnosed by Dr. Sousa and treated than in the past. Women are twice as likely to be affected than men.

In most cases, the symptoms related to TMJ disorders can be successfully treated to reduce or eliminate your discomfort. Postponement of treatment usually results in more damage to the joint, muscles, or teeth. Be sure to discuss any questions you may have about TMJ symptoms and treatment plans with Dr. Sousa.

-Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction-

People are suffering from many symptoms they would never think to associate with the mal-alignment of their jaw, such as:

Migraines Headaches

Dizziness Neck Pain

Shoulder Pain Clicking/Popping

Tinnitus Pain behind eyes

Earaches Back Pain

Grinding of teeth Scalp painful to touch

Craniomandibular Dysfunction is a term that describes the collection of symptoms that results when the chewing muscles and jaw joints do not work together correctly. Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMD) is a term commonly used to describe the same group of symptoms. “TMJ” stands for the temporomandibular joints that are the two joints that connect your jaw to your skull. When these joints are out of place, the resulting derangement causes muscle stress and pain, affecting many parts of the body.

Because the symptoms of a craniomandibular dysfunction masquerade as so many other conditions, patients travel from doctor to doctor in search of relief. It is estimated that as many as 44 million Americans suffer from one or more of these symptoms. However, many patients never think to seek the special training of a qualified TMD/TMJ dentist to evaluate the complex system of bones, joints and muscles.

Do you believe you have tried everything and still haven’t found the answer?

-How Is TMJ Caused?-

The exact cause of the disorder is unknown. Some factors are related to an improper bite, injury, arthritis, severe stress, or a combination of factors. Clenching or grinding teeth, a condition called bruxism, may develop from stress or as part of a sleep disorder.

This can tire muscles and create painful spasms, causing even more pain. Repeated muscle problems may affect the joints, resulting in tissue damage, muscle tenderness, and more spasm, perpetuating a cycle of pain.

-What Are Some of the TMJ Symptoms?-

Jaw pain or soreness, more noticeable in the morning or afternoon

Jaw pain while chewing, biting, or yawning

Earache without an infection, sometimes spreading into the face

Soreness in front of the ear

A clicking or grinding noise while opening and closing your mouth

Difficulty opening and closing your mouth

A stiff jaw when eating, talking, or yawning

Sensitive teeth without any signs of dental problems

Aching on the side of the head and neck pain

A burning sensation in the mouth/tongue

Grinding of your teeth

Restricted range of jaw movement or "locking" of the jaw in an open or closed position

A thorough dental examination is the first step toward finding a solution. Depending on the diagnosis, treatments may include reshaping teeth, bite guards, and muscle relaxants.

-How Can Temporomandibular Joint Disorder( TMJ /TMD ) Be Treated?-

Proper diagnosis is critical to make sure you receive treatment for your particular condition. At John P Sousa DMD we will only recommend treatment after conducting a thorough health history, clinical exam, taking appropriate X-rays, and perhaps confirming the condition through other diagnostic tests.

At John P Sousa DMD we may prescribe a multiple-phase treatment plan. Only minor corrective treatment may be needed. Treatment may be simple or require more steps for alleviating the condition, depending on the degree of severity. Some of these treatments include:

Taking a non-aspirin pain reliever or prescription medications such as muscle relaxants, analgesics, or anti-inflammatory drugs

Eating soft foods

Avoiding chewing gum

Applying moist heat or ice

Physical therapy

Teaching relaxation techniques to control muscle tension

Stress management training techniques

Posture training

Wearing bite plates to eliminate the harmful effects of clenching or grinding the teeth, and a better positioning of the jaws

Adjusting the bite, known as "occlusal equilibration" involving removing interferences when the teeth touch

Replacement of defective restorations that prevent the jaws from meeting properly

Orthodontics, to put the teeth in proper position

Surgery

In most cases we treat at John P Sousa DMD, the symptoms related to TMJ disorders can be successfully treated to reduce or eliminate your discomfort. Postponement of treatment usually results in more damage to the joint, muscles, or teeth.

Snoring/Sleep Apnea

The sound of snoring occurs when the airway collapses and the muscles fail to maintain their normal function. Snoring is a warning sign that normal breathing is not taking place. For 20 million Americans, the ability to maintain regular breathing during sleep is difficult.

Adults with moderate to severe levels of snoring need to know that it may really be the first sign of a more serious disorder called “obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)”. In the past decade, obstructive sleep apnea has become widely recognized as a serious problem with life-threatening complications. Sleep apnea is associated with high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke and increased mortality. The cost of sleep-related motor vehicle accidents has been estimated to be $50 billion per year.

Symptoms/complaints of snoring and sleep apnea are:

Daytime sleepiness Dry mouth & throat

Memory loss Anxiety/depression

Morning headaches Irritability

Inability to concentrate Reduced sex drive

Oral appliances are made to wear during sleep, which gently move the lower jaw forward causing an opening of the airway. Research has shown that oral appliances are very effective as a conservative treatment – especially as an alternative to Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) or surgery. Appliances are light and easy to wear. In only a few weeks, most patients are comfortable.

If you have any of these symptoms or are one of the many sleep disorder patients who are frustrated with CPAP and/or choose not to have surgery. Please contact us at (877) 505-5186 – we can help .

Your health is your most precious possession!