Kochi: If you have a pain in the neck, a headache, ear pain, jaw pain, back pain or migraine, it’s time to think of their connection with the teeth and dentistry. Dr Curtis Westersund, a Canadian dentist who is an expert in the treatment of Temporo Mandibular Disorders (TMD), is in Kochi throwing light on the connection and its cure.
TMD covers pain and dysfunction of the muscles that move the jaw and the joints which connect the jaw bone to the skull. The most important feature is pain, followed by restricted jaw movement. Although TMD is not life-threatening, it can be detrimental to quality of life because the symptoms like migraine can become chronic.
"One in four families is affected by migraine across the world while 112 million migraine-related bedridden days happen per year in the US. A total of 47 per cent of the adult population across the world suffers from headache. The reason could be the way they bite with their teeth (bad bite). It has to be properly diagnosed. When the ENT or neurologist or psychiatrist deserts you, it is time to consult a dentist who could help you out with his TMD treatment," says Dr Curtis.
Dr Curtis uses an artificial dental splint called Acetyl Resin Orthotic to treat TMD which costs Rs 40,000- Rs 80,000 in India. "It is an area still unknown to medical professionals apart from the public and people prolong on pain killers to manage it and we are trying to create awareness on it. Right position for the jaw is needed for the right bite," said Dr Rajesh Raveendranathan, neuromuscular TMD and sleep medicine specialist who along with Dr Tatu Joy manages the Right Bite Craniofacial Pain Care here where the treatment is offered only in the state.
