TMJ Treatment Plan
Diagnosing the Problem
Before prescribing the proper treatment for your particular problem, a variety of diagnostic procedures are necessary. X-rays will be taken of your jaw joint to provide a clear picture of your own TMJ anatomy and the position of various structures within the jaw joint. In order to study the relationship of the patient’s teeth and joints, diagnostic models are cast and precise measurements are taken to determine the position of your temporomandibular joint and help diagnose the proper treatment.
TMJ Treatment
Occlusal guards, or mouth guards, are worn to temporarily relieve pressure on the TMJ and to give relief to overworked muscles. Occlusal guards do not correct the underlying cause of TMJ, but they keep the mouth slightly open and in the correct position to relieve pain and prevent the condition from worsening by lessening grinding forces. If you are not quite ready for full TMJ treatment, you can buy some time (1-2 years) by wearing only occlusal guards.
TMJ therapy requires a detailed diagnostic workup. The aim of TMJ treatment is to correct dislocation of the jaw and return it to its correct position in the middle of the jaw joint. To do this, upper and lower arches need to be adjusted to achieve the “horseshoe” form and usually treatment is needed to reposition the lower jaw down and forward. This will be accomplished with Functional Jaw Orthopedics, using such appliances as the Sagittal, Schwartz Expander, Twin Block, and Bionator. The length of time required to wear an appliance depends on the individual case. The most common length of treatment is 1-2 years.
Temporomandibular Joint treatment begins with 2 diagnostic appointments, followed by monthly appointments to check your progress with the appliance with necessary adjustments.
Payment Plan
Payment is required in full for the first visit at the time of service. Also, your account is charged the total fee for the appliance when the bite impression is made and your case is sent to the lab to make the appliance. If there are budget concerns, we can arrange monthly payments according to a mutually agreed upon schedule. Our policy is that the balance should be paid in full by the end of 12 months. We accept cash, personal checks, and Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover credit cards.
Insurance Coverage
TMJ treatment falls under both dental and medical insurance coverage, however, many companies have specific TMJ exclusions in their contracts. Be sure to provide us with all of your insurance information to help us determine if you will have coverage. If your insurance company does provide some coverage of your TMJ treatment, we still require payment in full for the first visit and monthly payments thereafter. You can choose to have the insurance payments credited to your account, or sent directly to you, if your account has been paid in full. Please be advised that we cannot guarantee any insurance payment and will hold you directly responsible for any fees. We are not a participant in any HMO. We will do everything we can to help you get your benefits (narratives, case history, documentation, x-rays, etc.), but we strongly suggest you contact your insurance representative to find out about your coverage and what is required by them – pre-authorization, physician referral, etc.
