Mauie Flores

Whenever I get my teeth checked by a new dentist, that doctor would always ask "hindi pantay ang bite mo? (your bite is not aligned?)" To which I would casually reason out that it's because of my dentures. A dentist-friend of mine made my second set of dentures for the two front teeth I lost on a bicycle accident when I was eleven and he had already noticed my bite. I was already 18 that time. Of course, I didn't make a fuss about it. What I didn't know was that an uneven bite can cause jaw problems.

One disorder related to an uneven bite is TMJ or temperomandibular joint disorder. The temperomandibular joint is the one responsible for functions such as chewing food and speaking. TMJ can cause migraine (uh-oh, I have that regularly!), ringing in the ears and earaches, pain in the neck and shoulder, tooth loss, congestion in the nose and throat, tooth grinding and even speech problems


TMJ can be treated by Neuromuscular Dentists. Dr. Mike Deldar (TMJ dentist Carmel IN) and Dr. Sara Deldar are just two of these special dentists who specialize in TMJ treatment. Dr. Deldar first treats the symptoms using a TENS unit (Ultra Low Frequency Transcutaneous Electrical Neural Stimulation) to relax the jaw muscles. Then, an orthotic is worn over the patient's lower teeth to stabilize the bite. Lastly,  special methods are done to correct the bite.

I hope I'm not suffering from TMJ because I have no idea where to find a neuromuscular dentist here in the Philippines.

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