Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies

Located in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies is the world’s premier post-graduate dental teaching center . LVI specializes in training the best cosmetic (or aesthetic) and neuromuscular dentists .

Practicing dentists from all over the globe come to LVI to advance their education, knowledge, and expertise. Graduates of LVI are among the finest, most progressive dentists in the world.

Founded in 1995, LVI was established to educate, guide, and support dentists in the delivery of the most advanced, superior, patient-based care possible.

Neuromuscular Dentistry can help alleviate symptoms such as headaches , neck and shoulder pain , jaw pain , clicking or popping in the jaw , and tinnitus (ringing in the ears) . The majority of North Americans suffer from one or more of these symptoms, and unfortunately in many cases these patients’ symptoms are either misdiagnosed or dismissed as having no physiological cause. In a number of cases, these symptoms can actually be attributed toTMJ (temporomandibular joint syndrome ), also referred to as TMD (temporomandibular joint disorder ) or MPD (myofascial pain dysfunction ). These terms are just different names for the same group of symptoms.

TMJ / TMD Diagnosis

Neuromuscular dentists use state-of-the-art technology to determine if your symptoms are caused by malocclusion and if so, what your optimal jaw position is. The dentist uses computerized jaw tracking instruments to record jaw movement, resting position, and path of closure. Electromyography is used to measure your jaw’s muscle function in both its stressed and relaxed positions, and will also measure the jaw-to-skull relationship to see if there is a structural imbalance. Sonography is used to record jaw joint sounds to detect any abnormalities. Additionally, x-rays of the jaw may be taken to help evaluate the condition and positioning of the joint.

TMJ / TMD Treatment

Once your neuromuscular dentist has diagnosed you with TMJ , he or she can determine the best course of treatment for your specific needs. Typically treatment will follow three steps:

1. Relieve muscle spasm and pain.
   The immediate concern for neuromuscular dentists is to provide relief of your symptoms. The best way to do this is by using a technology called ULF-TENS. ULF-TENS stands for Ultra Low Frequency Transcutaneous Electrical Neural Stimulation, but don’t let this term intimidate you. Basically, ULF-TENS is a way to relax muscles with a gentle massage of the muscles. The rhythmic pulsing relaxes the muscles by increasing blood flow and pumping out waste products. ULF-TENS also helps with pain relief by stimulating the body’s production of endorphins, the body’s natural anesthetic.
2. Stabilize the bite.
   Often for this step a temporary device, known as an orthotic is worn over the teeth. The orthotic allows your neuromuscular dentist to make easy adjustments to the plastic without adjusting the teeth until the bite is stabilized. Once symptoms are relieved and the bite has been stabilized, your dentist will move on to the next step and permanently adjust your bite to the correct position.
3. Long-term management.
   There are a variety of ways to correct your bite in a more permanent way. Four of the most common of these approaches are outlined below:

Coronoplasty/Equilibration
Coronoplasty is smoothing and reshaping the enamel of the teeth to correct your bite. It is a simple procedure that does not require anesthesia and can be used when the bite is only slightly misaligned.

Removable Overlay Partials
These are permanent orthotics that usually fit over the back teeth and are designed to maintain an aligned bite.

Reconstruction
This approach involves making the teeth higher by using crowns. This permanently realigns the bite and provides structural support for the jaw.

Orthodontics (Braces)
When the teeth are healthy they may be moved to the optimal position using braces.