Princeton, NJ dentist Dr. Raj Upadya is a valued member and active participant of Dawson Academy for Advanced Dental Study. In a recent video for Dawson Quick Tip’s, Dr. Upadya discusses the treatment of advanced TMJ.
When treating patients with complex TMJ disorders, Dr. Upadya looks to treat the root of the jaw discomfort, as opposed to just masking the pain. When determining if splint therapy will be needed, Dr. Upadya takes into account the patient’s whole dental health for complete dentistry. In his brief Quick Tip video, Dr. Upadya breaks TMJ treatment down into “the good side of town”, and “the bad side of town” as a delineating mark of when to use splint therapy.
The Bad Side of Town
Dr. Upadya describes “the bad side of town” TMJ cases as ones where patients are experiencing a displacement of the disc on both the lateral and medial pole. These patients are often experiencing substantial pain from their TMJ. In these cases. Dr. Upadya would recommend splint therapy to restore the healthy of the jaw joint. As a part of the complete dentistry philosophy, Dr. Upadya believes that withholding dental treatment until after splint therapy is essential for holistic oral health.
The Good Side of Town
“The good side of town” patients are ones who do not have lateral pole displacements and their occlusal muscles have minor issues. These patients do not need splint therapy to stabilize their occlusion. Early diagnosis helps keep patients one the good side of town.
Schedule A Consultation
If you are suffering from TMJ or jaw discomfort, contact our Princeton, NJ dentist office. Dr. Upadya is a highly trained dentist who can offer relief for pain associated with jaw disorders and bite misalignment.