Chronic pain may be caused by temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), sleep apnea and craniofacial problems. The muscular skeletal system is completely interconnected. Sometimes pain is felt in one area, while its cause is somewhere else. For example, TMJ disorder affects the jaw joint, but pain may be felt in the teeth, neck, shoulder, back and even the feet. That’s why the disorder is often called “the great deceiver”.

In addition, sleep apnea is sometimes associated with TMJ dysfunction. Obstruction in the airway can cause tension in the jaw, teeth grinding and a subsequent TMJ disorder.

We use Cranial Dental Therapy. This is a team approach that includes two primary specialists: a specially trained chiropractor and dentist. Together, we cross diagnose and treat TMJ and sleep apnea related problems in a step-by-step process that maximizes the speed to alleviating pain and discomfort. Because both specialists work together, in person, communication is drastically improved resulting in a much faster outcome.