If you have bite bad: CMD and DROS® splint therapy
Migraines, disturbed sleep, teeth grinding, muscle tension or back pain are just a few of the symptoms that can occur due to bad bite. These complaints can often be attributed to CMD – so-called Craniomandibular Disorder. This means that the skull (cranio) and jaw (mandibular) are incorrectly aligned resulting in the above-mentioned symptoms. The causes of CMD and how these can be treated are explained below:
Functional Analysis
To treat a dysfunction of the jaw joint, Dr. Pink first needs to assess the cause of the functional disorder in the teeth, the jaw joint and masticatory muscles.
The first step is a non-instrumental manual examination covering the following points: patient’s medical history, malocclusion, palpation and examination of the masticatory muscles, jaw joint noises and/or grinding. The patient’s personal situation also plays an extremely important role. Psycho-emotional stress can contribute strongly to the development of CMD.
The second stage of diagnostics consists of instrumental functional analysis. A bite simulator or articulator is used to measure the patient’s individual occlusion at various positions of the jaw. The goal of functional analysis is to determine the occlusal relation of the teeth in an optimal jaw position.
Symptoms of CMD
Patients diagnosed with CMD often have a long history of tooth attrition. Symptoms can vary and are not always causally linked. Patients often suffer from pain in the musculoskeletal system for example neck or back pain. They may complain of headaches, migraines, tinnitus or dizziness. However CMD is most evident in the periodontium. Clenching and grinding of the teeth, jaw cracking, tooth abrasion and wear, exposed tooth necks, loosening of the teeth and even tooth loss can result from CMD.
The therapy: DROS® splint concept
Dr. Pink’s dental practice uses an innovative, certified DROS® splint therapy concept. Only certified dentists who have successfully completed CMD/DROS® professional training are authorised to implement this new form of therapy. This is the first standardised dental therapy concept for treating teeth grinding, bruxism or CMD. The DROS® splint is not just a guard or bite splint to prevent teeth from wearing, but rather an enduring therapeutic method to relieve and eliminate the causes and symptoms of Craniomandibular Disorder.
DROS stands for:
D = Diagnostic
R = Relaxing
O = Orienting
S = Stabilising
Find out more about CMD and DROS® splints in our functional analysis web page at www.max34.de/portfolio/funktionsanalyse-muenchen/.