TENS & K-7
Myomonitor TENS Unit
Many individuals do not realize that muscles play an important role in dentistry. Muscles affect your occlusion, or the way your teeth fit together. When your teeth do not fit together properly, the muscles have to accommodate. This results in tired and stressed muscles that often cause pain and strain of the muscles of your face, jaw, and neck. Relaxing these muscles allows your jaw to be placed in its most natural position. We accomplish this by using the Myomonitor TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) to relax the muscles of your face and jaw.
Because the muscles controlling the jaw are subconsciously “programmed” by the brain, most individuals have difficulty consciously reaching a truly relaxed state. To help your muscles reach that relaxed state, a device called the Myomonitor is used to deliver gentle electrical stimulation to your muscles. The Myomonitor is a battery-operated electrical muscle stimulator. Mild electrical stimulation is delivered through adhesive patch electrodes attached over nerves that control specific facial muscle groups. The virtually painless stimulus delivered by the Myomonitor will cause your facial and jaw muscles to twitch or pulse once every one and one half seconds. After about 40-60 minutes, this electrically induced “exercise” will allow your muscles to overcome their programming and go to a relaxed state.
Once your muscles are relaxed, Dr. Hornstein will confirm and record the relaxed position of your jaw by placing a fast setting putty-like material between your teeth. This “bite” will be used to fabricate a plastic orthotic device that keeps the jaw in a relaxed state. This is just one of the many options in Neuromuscular Dentistry.
K-7 Evaluation System
Here at the Center For Advanced Dentistry, we gather as much information as possible to help in our treatment recommendations. The K-7 evaluation system is one of the many tools we use to help us determine the best course of treatment for our patients with temporal mandibular joint dysfunction (TMD) signs and symptoms. It is a computer program that measures and records mandibular (jaw) function and masticatory (chewing) muscle status. This adds invaluable objective information about TM joint status and aids in the diagnostic process. The K-7 is used in our office in the following ways:
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The K-7 is used in the initial assessment for temporal mandibular joint (TMJ) function. This neuromuscular (NM) assessment requires an hour of time. A thorough evaluation and trigger point assessment of the masticatory (chewing) muscles, cervical (neck) and shoulder muscles is completed along with range of motion measurements of your neck and jaw joints and includes a postural evaluation.
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Joint sonography (recording the frequency of the sounds of the jaw joint) is also performed with the K-7 system in the initial NM assessment. This allows Dr. Hornstein to fully evaluate the progression of the dysfunction of the TMJ and make the appropriate treatment recommendations.
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The K-7 is also used to determine the most comfortable position for the mandible, (This feature is used when creating the impression for the fabrication of the orthotic). This is accomplished by using the EMG’s (electromyograms) to determine the most relaxed position for the masticatory and cervical muscles. The position of the mandible is tracked using a magnet (placed on the lower teeth) and a special tracking device worn on the head. (See photo). Once this position is established, the impression is taken for the fabrication of the orthotic.
The information obtained from the K-7 evaluation system is critical to effective neuromuscular dentistry.
The Center for Advanced Dentistry…Where Holistic Health and Aesthetic Dentistry Come Together.
Call our Beachwood dental office to make an appointment with Dr. Hornstein. We serve residents from Cleveland, Solon, Shaker Heights, Pepper Pike, and the surrounding areas.
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