Crowns to Treat TMJ?

I have TMJ with migraines and clicking. My dentist has been treating it with a mouthguard. That has been giving me some relief, but not completely. My bottom crowns are worn down to the gums from grinding. I went to a TMJ specialist who said that they could treat my TMJ problem with dental crowns. He’s talking about just crowning the bottom back teeth. Have you heard of this as a legitimate treatment?

Stacey

Dear Stacey,

I am glad you wrote. TMJ Disorder can be quite painful. Crowning teeth in order to place the bite in a proper position is a legitimate treatment for TMJ. Sometimes, with very advanced cases a dentist will suggest crowning every tooth, which is known as a full mouth reconstruction. This should only be done when all remaining options have been exhausted.

One thing that bothers me is that your dentist called himself a TMJ Specialist. You should be aware that there is not a recognized specialty in TMJ. What makes matters even more difficult is that the instruction from dental school is not adequate in helping dentists know how to deal with the problem.

If the treatment is not done properly, it can make your situation worse and not better. Because of that I want to recommend that you make certain this dentist has post-doctoral training in an institution known for good TMJ training. Here’s a list of some of the best:

• The Dawson Academy. They have headquarters in Florida, but now have training centers in several states.
• The Pankey Institute in Key Biscayne, Florida
• Spear Education in Scottsdale, Arizona
• The Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies (LVI) in Las Vegas, Nevada
• Piper Education and Research Center in Tampa, Florida

If you don’t have a dentist nearby with training from one of these institutes, then another option is to see a prosthodontist. They have post doctoral training in dental crowns and TMJ as part of their restorative training.

This blog is brought to you by Nashville Dentist Dr. David Wickness.