TREATING THE INDIVIDUAL:
A CUSTOM TREATMENT FOR ONE PATIENT’S CHRONIC TMJ
Temporomandibular disorders, commonly called TMJ, affect a patient’s jaw most directly, but TMJ is linked to at least 30 comorbidities. Jaw pain and headaches are some of the most obvious symptoms of TMJ, and treatments may include Botox, frenectomy, physical therapy, and Invisalign. Dr. Lena Sapozhnikoff is a top TMJ specialist in NYC and has helped patients at all levels of pain and discomfort.
LIFE BEFORE DR. LENA: UNBEARABLE TMJ PAIN
NYC teacher and Shakespeare theater actor, Rebecca, had been suffering with chronic TMJ for close to a decade, living each day with constant jaw pain she rated at a 6 or 7. Flare-ups were even worse, waking her up at night and causing such intense pain that she’d find herself on the floor, unable to do anything but cry. All this affected her ability to get restful sleep, and she was always tired.
Rebecca had a chain reaction of symptoms. Her narrow palate affected nasal breathing, and a tongue tie inhibited her tongue posture, which both led to chronic open mouth. This allowed her molars to drift down, causing an open bite. The open bite meant that her teeth didn’t meet when she bit down, making it impossible or difficult to eat certain foods. Rebecca wasn’t aware of this pathology, but she did know she couldn’t continue with the pain and discomfort she’d been experiencing.
As many as 25% of people experience TMJ at some point in their lives, but Rebecca’s chronic condition was much worse than most, dramatically affecting her quality of life on a daily basis. She tried to find a treatment that her insurance company would cover but found they’d only pay for an invasive and risky open-joint surgery. She knew there had to be another way.
Finding the Right TMJ Specialist
Two previous dentists had sold Rebecca expensive mouthguards that provided short-term relief but, in the end, only made her TMJ symptoms worse. Finally, she came to see Dr. Lena. She resolved that if she’d be paying out-of-pocket for her TMJ treatment, she was going to find someone great. She knew she wanted someone who would believe her, see the problem, understand her pain, and offer real solutions.
Dr. Lena would turn out to be someone great. Once Dr. Lena examined Rebecca and began to plan her treatment, she was able to see a complete picture of what was wrong. She very straightforwardly told Rebecca it was going to be a long, two-year treatment process. Rebecca, who’d been suffering worse and worse for the past eight years, wasn’t daunted at all.
She knew there wouldn’t be any quick fixes and was in fact relieved to have someone validate her experience and take the time to formulate a thoughtful and effective treatment plan. Even though it was going to take a couple of years, Rebecca was so grateful to have found Dr. Lena, and she trusted her easily.
How Do You Treat TMJ?
Treating TMJ can be a case-by-case proposition. Rebecca’s treatment began with extraction of her wisdom teeth, which resolved her open bite quite a bit. The next order of business was an MSE expander to improve nasal breathing and create space for her tongue to rest where it should. Indeed, as many other MSE patients have reported, Rebecca found she could breathe through her nose much better than before.
Next, Dr. Lena performed a frenectomy to release Rebecca’s tongue-tie, which to Rebecca’s pleasant surprise, further improved her breathing by allowing her tongue to create a barrier at the back of her mouth the way it’s meant to. At this point, Rebecca received myofunctional therapy to learn proper tongue posture, now that her anatomy would allow it.
The most intensive part of Rebecca’s “overhaul,” as she calls it, was completed, and she was already breathing easier, literally. Next in her treatment plan was Invisalign to finish closing the bite and align the teeth. This is when she found she could eat carrots and pizza again. Hooray!
FROM SURVIVAL TO THRIVAL
Finally, the last part of Rebecca’s treatment would address the appearance of her smile. Imagine her relief to go from being in constant pain to beautifying her smile. The worst was behind her now, and Dr. Lena turned her attention to repairing an improperly placed implant with a gorgeous porcelain restoration.
To help Rebecca avoid the multiple surgeries she’d need to remove and replace the bad implant, Dr. Lena got creative. She first removed the crown, which was protruding and had to go. Next, she placed a temporary crown to contour the gum tissue, which had been altered by the badly placed implant, so it could accommodate a restoration. Finally, Rebecca’s gum tissue was left to heal over the implant, and Dr. Lena placed the final restoration, a cantilever bridge.
Today, Rebecca is happily living pain-free, sleeping well, loving her smile, and enjoying whatever foods she fancies.
I came to Dr. Lena with TMJ pain so bad that I couldn’t sleep. I had an open bite and could barely chew. Two years later, I am 100% pain free, can eat (and chew!) any food I want, and have a smile that I love to show off! Whether you’re pursuing orthodontics for function or aesthetic, Dr. Lena is the right choice. Throughout our treatment, I was constantly amazed by her attention to detail and her thoughtfulness. She will treat your mouth like it’s her own. I recommend Dr. Lena to everyone!
SEE TMJ SPECIALIST DR. LENA
Dr. Lena knows that treating something like TMJ isn’t one-size-fits-all, and she takes the time to come up with a treatment plan that works for each patient’s unique circumstances. Book an appointment with NYC TMJ specialist Dr. Lena Sapozhnikoff today to see if she can help you put your pain in the rearview.
