Can I go to a dentist for TMJ treatment, or do I need a TMJ specialist?
Elwyn T.- Minneapolis
Elwyn,
TMJ is not a recognized specialty, so many doctors call themselves TMJ specialists, including general dentists, orthodontists, and oral surgeons. So, if anyone can call themselves a TMJ specialist, how do you know who you can go to for treatment?
Treatment can vary from using an oral appliance, to neuromucular treatment, to orthodontics, or even surgery. You want to make sure you have someone with real expertise, because some of these treatments can cause irreversible damage.
Whoever you go to for treatment needs to have extensive post-graduate training. The knowledge necessary to adequately correct this is not available just in general dental school. Find someone whose had training at the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies or at the Dawson Academy.
It is always wise to begin with the most conservative treatment first, unless the core issue is very obvious.
This blog is brought to you by Grosse Pointe Woods Dentist Theodore Hadgis.