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Can a TMJ that has been locking for 20 years be corrected without surgery? Yes, we can!!

February 17th, 2016

Jaw locks seldom get better on their own. Without treatment, they normally get worse, get more frequent and lead to more damage to the TM Joints. Jaw locks can be closed locks or open locks. This case history is that of a “closed lock” -meaning the jaw is locked when the mouth is closed and the disc is out of place preventing the jaw from opening normally.

This is a medical doctor who figured out how to manipulate the jaw to unlock. But since the jaw alignment was poor, the jaw locks recurred until the jaw would lock every time he closed his mouth. He had tried a mouth guard from one ‘TMJ expert’ for 2 years. He then went through 2 years of orthodontics hoping to resolve the TMJ locks. The teeth were straighter, but the jaw locks never improved. He was unwilling to have jaw surgery since he was managing OK.

When he learned about Physiologic Neuromuscular Dentistry, he looked into that for a solution. He realized that Dr Raman is a recognized TMD expert in his profession. After the optimal jaw alignment was diagnosed through Physiologic Neuromuscular Dentistry protocols, he chose to have Phase 1 PNMD orthotic treatment done. IMMEDIATELY after the orthotic was placed, the jaw locks were resolved! After 20 years of jaw locks, which was not corrected with splint therapy and orthodontic braces, PNMD orthotic corrected the jaw alignment problem and resolved the jaw locks! Headaches and neck pain also resolved.

Tags: closed lock, headache, jaw locking, neck pain, Physiologic Neuromuscular dentistry, Physiologic Neuromuscular orthotic, TMJ, TMJ disorder, TMJ lock
Posted in Case Report, Current or Former TMD Sufferers, Science, TMD Information, Techniques for Dentists | No Comments »

TM Joint replacement surgery avoided

July 16th, 2014

TMJ Joint replacement surgery avoided through Physiologic Neuromuscular Full Mouth Reconstruction

Vicki started having right side jaw pain in December of 2011. She could not open her mouth, chew or yawn without being in pain. She also suffered with neck pain, inconsistent bite, hip pain, arm pain and a shoulder impingement. She decided to see her dentist about the jaw pain who then referred her to an orthodontist. The orthodontist did some tests on her but determined that he could not help her and referred her to an oral surgeon in Arkansas.

Vicki consulted with the oral surgeon who read her MRI report and informed her that her discs were gone. He told her that the only option was to have surgery and to give her titanium jaw joints for both sides. She was not well informed about what all the surgery entailed and how it would impact her life. Her dentist told her NOT to do TMJ surgery. She did her own research about jaw joint surgery and realized that she did not want to do it. Her dentist found Dr Raman to help Vicki.

Vicki drove over two hours from Carthage MO to see Dr Raman in Kansas City. At her first visit Dr Raman evaluated her and determined that there is a jaw alignment problem and he felt confident that he could help her. Vicki chose to go through a series of Physiologic Neuromuscular Dentistry diagnostic testing to determine the optimal jaw neck alignment. After a detailed consultation, Vicki and her husband chose to move forward with phase 1 Fixed orthotic treatment.

Vicki admitted that she was skeptical at first prior to starting the treatment. She was fitted with a fixed neuromuscular orthotic for 90 days. During this time period Vicki said that her jaw stopped hurting, she could open her mouth wider and had better neck range of motion. She actually had surgery scheduled for her right shoulder due to the impingement but Dr Raman asked her to wait and see if the pain subsides with the orthotic treatment. Vicki cancelled her surgery and no longer has shoulder pain.

Vicki then chose to move forward with phase II of the treatment. She chose the option of Neuromuscular functional orthodontics in combination with full mouth reconstruction. She is certain that she made the right decision. She feels better and looks better and is happy with the results. Vicki said that it was a lot of money and a lot of driving but she would do it all over again.

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Disabling Vertigo, severe ear pain, Migraines resolved through Physiologic Neuromuscular Fixed Orthotic

May 20th, 2014

Angela and her family live in Kenai peninsula, Alaska and have traveled to Kansas City to seek help from Dr Raman. She has been suffering with severe vertigo for about 8 months and more recently extreme ear pain and Migraine.

Initially Angela went to her dentist to have a filling done and left the office that day in extreme pain. It was then determined that this tooth could not be saved and would need to be removed. Angela decided to have both of her lower wisdom teeth removed at the same time along with the lower right molar.

Angela was put under with IV sedation and had all three teeth removed. She was unable to bring her teeth together for about 8 days due to the amount of swelling. Three days later she had a migraine and the severe vertigo started. Angela went to the hospital and was told that she had an anxiety attack. She then decided to see an ENT who ruled out BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo). They also did an MRI, CT scan and hearing tests. All of these tests came out negative. The ENT specialist told her that her symptoms had NOTHING to do with TMJ or her teeth loss.

At this point a family friend who is also a dentist was the first one to mention that it could have something to do with her TMJ and recommended that she see a massage therapist. She also had lower back adjustments done by a chiropractor and her symptoms just got worse. Angela then made the decision to see a TMJ doctor in Anchorage who made her a lower acrylic guard to be worn at all times except when eating. The vertigo was so bad that she could barely walk out of his office.

At this point Angela felt stuck. She was unable to eat and could not even get in a car for 3 weeks. She has 2 young children ages 6 and 3 and couldn’t even drive her son to school because of the vertigo. Her anxiety level has been very high trying to deal with all of this and she did not want to spend her life this way. Her husband Jeremy then found Dr Raman on the internet. Once Angela realized that the more she moved her jaw around the worse the vertigo got, Dr Raman’s Physiologic Neuromuscular dentistry approach made a lot of sense.

Once Dr Raman determined that there is a jaw alignment issue, Angela went through a series of diagnostic testing. A detailed consultation was done with Angela and Jeremy and they made the decision to proceed with the phase I treatment option. She was then fitted with a fixed neuromuscular orthotic. Just five days after the orthotic was delivered Angela was doing really good. She said that she had one of the best days that she had in the past 8 months.

Angela said that her vertigo did not spike and she was able to drive. She was enjoying spending time with her family and is excited to keep moving forward.

Tags: "ear pain", chiropractic adjustments, CT scans, ENT specialists, headache, loss of balance, Massage therapy, MRI, nausea, Neuromuscular dentistry, Physical therapy, Physiologic Neuromuscular Fixed orthotic, vertigo, Vertigo resolution
Posted in Case Report, Current or Former TMD Sufferers, Science, Spreading the Word, TMD Information | No Comments »

Does Physiologic Neuromuscular Dentistry seem ‘just too simple’ to resolve debilitating Migraines?

February 12th, 2014

Does Physiologic Neuromuscular Dentistry (PNMD) seem ‘just too simple’ to resolve debilitating Migraines? Is it too hard to believe that neck pain (after an injury) and back pain (after disc herniation surgery) could ALSO resolve through PNMD? Dana thought that there is no way a ‘dentist’ could help her with Neurologist diagnosed Migraine that was barely controlled with Zomig. Even after a friend that had her Mayo Clinic diagnosed Fibromyalgia resolved through PNMD referred her, it was just too hard to believe! Until she checked it out herself as a ‘last resort’!

Dana suffered with debilitating migraines and severe neck pain for 14 years. At times the pain would get so bad that she would have to go to the hospital and gets shots. She felt as if she had so many lost days in her life. Dana was on several medications to try and control the pain that were prescribed to her by a neurologist and her general practitioner. These medications consisted of Naproxen, Zomig and Phenergan for nausea.

Dana heard about Dr Raman through a friend who had also suffered with TMJ symptoms and was already in treatment with him. She was skeptical at first because she has tried so many other things. At this point she started to feel very depressed and sick almost every day. She thought that she was going to have to live with the pain for the rest of her life and felt like this was her last try at getting help.

Dana came to see Dr Raman initially for a consultation and then went through a series of neuromuscular diagnostic testing. Once the correct jaw alignment was determined she was then fitted with a fixed Physiologic neuromuscular orthotic for 90 days. She first felt the biggest difference in her neck pain and range of motion. She said that she has improved immensely and has no more back spasms, sleeps better, headaches much improved and no more lower back pain.

Dana is now in the Physiologic neuromuscular functional orthodontics phase of her treatment. She now has a lot more energy and even her family sees a difference in her. She is very excited. The best part of this is how it impacted her daughter’s wedding. Dana felt so well that she made all the table decorations and made all the hors d’oeuvres at home by herself over several days. She could not have even imagined being able to do all of that prior to her treatment. That made the wedding very special for the whole family. THAT is the power of PNMD and its impact on families as well as on the guests we help.

Tags: depression, headache, migraine resolution, Naproxen, neck pain, neurologists, Neuromuscular dentistry, Neuromuscular orthotic, Pain management, Phenergan, Zomig
Posted in Case Report, Current or Former TMD Sufferers, Science, Spreading the Word, TMD Information | No Comments »

Vertigo resolved through Physiologic Neuromuscular Dentistry

February 5th, 2014

Isn’t Vertigo, a medical condition? How can a dentist possibly help vertigo? One of the symptoms of a poor jaw alignment is vertigo. In such cases, PNMD can definitely help.

Unrelenting Vertigo resolved through Physiologic Neuromuscular Fixed Orthotic when medications did not help. AO chiropractic adjustments helped for short periods. Previous Neuromuscular removable or fixed orthotics worsened the vertigo.

Veronica lives in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and traveled to Kansas City to seek treatment from Dr Raman. She has been suffering with severe vertigo as well as neck pain, headaches and shoulder pain for the past 5 yrs. She would always feel off balance. Even raising her arm and picking up light weights would bring on vertigo. Her symptoms first began after having 20 Lumineers done in Lebanon for cosmetic purposes. She had her first “violent vertigo attack” immediately following that.

Veronica sought help from several different doctors including 3 neurologists who were very thorough, had MRI, MRA and CT scans done of her brain and spine. No cause of her vertigo was diagnosed. She then consulted with 5 ENT specialists who ruled out Meniere’s and Benign Positional Vertigo. When medications did not help, she was told by all of these doctors that she would just have to learn to live with it. She then decided to see a Physical therapist, a Chiropractor and an Osteopath. Those treatments actually worsened her symptoms. Her symptoms slightly improved with the Atlas Orthogonist Chiropractor at least for short periods. He is the only one who mentioned that her symptoms may be related to her jaw alignment. Poor jaw alignment affects the AO alignment. So his AO cervical adjustments would not ‘hold’. Much credit should go to this AO chiropractor since he alone pointed Veronica in the right direction when all the medical specialists were telling her that is due to “stress” and “just have to learn to live with vertigo”. So she saw a neuromuscular dentist near her and was treated for 8 months .

Veronica was first given a removable orthotic that she wore at night time only. She was then fitted with a bonded orthotic. The bonded orthotic made her “violently ill” for the 10 days that she had it in her mouth. They decided to discontinue treatment and had the orthotic removed. Several people that Veronica knew kept telling her to go to America for treatment. She did a lot of research on the internet and found Dr. Raman as well as a doctor in California and one in Nevada. After much checking she decided that her best chances for getting better is to be treated by Dr. Raman in Kansas City, Missouri. She saw more examples of difficult cases that he had treated than the other doctors. The only thing he could promise was that he would do his very best to help her.

Veronica was seen on a Wednesday for examination and diagnostic tests. Two days later, her Physiologic Neuromuscular Fixed orthotic was delivered on Friday afternoon. No adjustments were made. Her jaw and rest of the body needed to adjust to the alignment correction of the orthotic.

At her First follow up visit on Monday morning, 2 days post orthotic delivery, Veronica said that she had absolutely no vertigo, no neck/shoulder tightness and has been able to eat just fine. She said that she feels quite relaxed. She was vertigo and shoulder pain free after suffering for 5 years.

It is hard to measure the life impact of this treatment in this woman’s life compared to how it would have been in her family life, social life and general happiness if the unrelenting vertigo had continued. After all neurologists told her to “accept it” and live with. No wonder Veronica believes that it was worth the cost & travel time it took for her PNMD treatment.

Tags: AO chiropractic, Atlas Orthogonist, chiropractic adjustments, CT scans, ENT specialists, headache, loss of balance, MRA, MRI, nausea, neck pain, neurologists, Neuromuscular dentistry, Physical therapy, Physiologic Neuromuscular Fixed orthotic, shoulder pain, vertigo, Vertigo resolution
Posted in Case Report, Science, TMD Information, Techniques for Dentists | No Comments »