TMJ Seattle

Dr. S. David Buck is a dentist and has answered some of the common questions Bizymoms visitors have about TMJ.


Q. What is TMJ?

A. TMJ is a description of a large category of pain and dysfunction disorders that encompass the face, head, neck. and shoulders. The most common symptoms include headache pain of all types, chronic clenching and grinding with sleep disruptions and often cervical and neck pain issues.  Also, many emotional issues overlap with TMJ.  The fundamental cause is a mis-alignment of the cranium to the mandible ( lower jaw), and the upper cervical complex ( C1, C2).

Q. How do I know if I have TMJ?

A. Go to my web site www.tmjseattle.com and download the self examination checklist for TMJ

Q. Can pain killers help in treating TMJ syndrome?

A. No, they are symptomatic only and do not cure the disorder

Q. Who should treat TMD?

A. Although there is no ADA approved  specialty designation for TMJ, very few dentists have either the interest or training in how to diagnose and  treat this serious condition. Additionally, the dental profession’s  conventional approach to TMJ disorders are highly ineffective and symptomatic oriented  only, with low success rates, and no definitive cure.  Conversely, neuromuscular oriented TMJ treatment is highly effective at treating the root cause of TMJ pain and dysfunction and essentially can cure this disease completely. There are only a few dentists nationwide who understand and use neuromuscular methods to treat TMJ, and yet the philosophy and equipment are all approved by both the ADA, and the FDA as safe and efficacious. Fortunately, private post graduate training exists to allow a growing number of motivated and highly skilled dentists to achieve the necessary training to provide neuromuscular therapies in their practices. The leading institute is LVI, and patients can visit the web site www.lviglobal.com for more information.

Q. What should you expect from a TMD doctor?

A. Firstly, I would highly encourage seeking out specifically a neuromuscular trained clinician. I would then suggest having a consultation with that doctor about treatments, and methods in the context of a brief clinical screening exam. The dentist should be able to answer questions about causative factors, solutions, and prognsis in that first exam.

Q. What results can I expect from surgery?

A. Neuromuscular therapy is non surgical, and jaw surgery is rarely indicated, even in conjunction with orthodontic therapy. This also brings to light the fact that most conventional orthodontic treatment ( braces) is non-neuromuscular in philosophy and the bite correction, if any is arbitrary and can cause long term harm. Essentially teeth can be straight, but the underlying physiology of the bite including the muscles that support the jaw and the alignment of the TM joints can be disrupted. In contrast, all neuromuscular treatment is first provided in a reversible fashion with custom calibrated appliances that gently correct the bite to allow the posture, muscles, joints and pain to all resolve and heal. Only after careful confirmation and validation of the positive clinical effects of appliance therapy does the neuromuscular clinician consider permanent changes to the bite position.

Q. Is TMJ/TMD covered by insurance?

A. Because so few dentist even diagnose this condition properly, very  few treat it. The result of this has been to downgrade the significance of this needed treatment in dental insurance contracts. This has caused benefits for TMJ therapy to be reduced to a nominal level. Even the best dental plans have a very restricted amount allowed for TMJ treatment. Patients should expect to pay the majority of cost for TMJ treatment out of pocket.

Q. How to contact Dr. Buck, if you have further questions?

A. Please visit,   www.tmjseattle.com or www.goodsleepseattle.com or www.sdavidbuck.com . All sites are dedicated to the various specialty services we offer and have contact information. Direct email for Dr. Buck  would be info@sdavidbuck.com