TMJ Disorders

The longest path to a cure is curing a problem without a diagnosis.

The Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ)  is a household name.  People often say, “I have TMJ” when they want to tell a provider that they have joint problems.  The term TMJ is ubiquitous but it is often misunderstood.  Because the TMJ is located in the head and neck area, the orthopedic community has left the joint to the dental community.  Due to the fact that the dental schools do not train in orthopedic concepts, many dental providers leave the TMJ largely unattended and treat the repercussions in the dentition.  

At Bosma Dental, we treat the Temporomandibular Joint as an orthopedic joint.  We image and diagnose it as if it were any other joint in the body.  This approach has allowed us to deliver an exact diagnosis, and more predictably treat the condition.  

TMJ disease can cause a slew of problems such as pain related to the muscles in the face, head and neck, facial asymmetry, bite changes, cracked, worn and loose teeth, receded chin, and upper airway impingement leading to interrupted breathing during sleep.

Examples of the 3 dimensional imaging done at Bosma Dental to evaluate the bony structures of the TMJ.