When she was just 17 – before seat belts and airbags – Sally was in a car accident that shattered her teeth. After her teeth were repaired and it seemed life had returned to normal, she was struck in the jaw with a tennis ball. The trauma caused scar tissue to form and she was forced to have jaw surgery. It helped, but Sally continued to have pain. Her inflammation was increasing and she began to experience limited opening of her mouth. When her dentist prescribed a new bite guard and it made Sally’s symptoms worse, he realized he needed to refer Sally to a dentist who had more experience in treating advanced TMD cases and he referred her to Dr. Todd Davis’ dental office in Buckhead for evaluation.
The First Step Toward Relief
Dr. Davis began by creating a new bite guard to help relieve Sally’s pain. Then Dr. Davis developed a treatment plan to more permanently correct the problem. Because Sally’s teeth were worn down from grinding and clenching, and from the corrections that had been attempted to adjust her bite by her former dentists, Dr. Davis suggested crowns to get bite working properly. When the bite is not balanced, the jaw muscles have to work much harder, causing constant pain and strain.
Creating a Beautiful, Balanced Smile
Sally decided to also have some cosmetic work completed while she was undergoing her TMD treatment. She had her front crowns and some bonding replaced as well as a teeth whitening. The entire correction process took three years. It is important to note that correcting TMD is not a quick-fix or a once and done procedure. Delicate and continuous adjustments must be made as the muscles adapt and change. Fortunately, even our temporary crowns are beautiful and natural-looking so there is no reason to hide one’s smile during treatment.
Once treatment was completed and Sally received her final crowns, she was ecstatic, exclaiming, “My front teeth look better than my original ones…. And my pain – well there just isn’t any! Dr. Davis obviously understands how the jaw works and the importance of keeping the integrity of your teeth. Putting my trust in him was a wise decision and some of the best money I ever spent; I no longer grimace when I see my smiling face in photographs!”
If you are suffering from jaw pain, headaches or TMD, please call our Buckhead dental office. We’d like to help you find freedom from pain and begin smiling again!