What Is Physiologic Dentistry?
Comprehensive dental care in Columbus, Ohio, extends beyond just the teeth. While traditional dentistry focuses primarily on tooth care, physiologic dentistry encompasses a broader perspective, considering the nerves, muscles, bones, and joints that support the teeth and facilitate essential jaw functions like biting and chewing. This expanded approach is crucial because these structures don’t only affect the healthy function of your teeth, but also play a key role in the overall well-being of your body.
Key principles of physiologic dentistry include:
- The body functions as an integrated whole, not as separate components that can be isolated for analysis.
- The jaw system and the rest of the body must be understood as interconnected, as changes in one area can influence the other.
- When dysfunction occurs, the body adapts, which may alleviate symptoms temporarily but lead to further damage and dysfunction over time.
- A relaxed, decompressed state is essential for optimal health. Muscle tension and pressure can cause nerve strain, hinder blood and lymphatic circulation, and lead to pain. Rested muscles and joints naturally improve function.
- All treatments should be based on a comprehensive, scientific diagnosis that guides us toward the most effective care.
By integrating these principles, physiologic dentists use a scientific diagnosis to assess the current state of your jaw and body, guiding us toward treatments that enhance both your dental and overall health.
Physiologic Dentistry and TMJ
One of the most common applications of physiologic dentistry is in treating temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ, but also called TMD or TMJD–the name is complicated). In TMJ, dysfunction in the jaw joint causes a wide range of symptoms, some of which are seen in the mouth, such as worn or broken teeth, jaw pain, jaw sounds, and even a locked jaw. Other symptoms are seen elsewhere, including headaches, neck pain, back and shoulder pain, and, sometimes, even tingling and numbness in the fingers. Sometimes TMJ is caused by jaw trauma, but other times it is related to a bite that doesn’t fit together properly, what we describe as malocclusion.
In cases of TMJ caused by malocclusion, TMJ treatment with physiologic dentistry in Columbus, OH can provide essentially complete relief that can be long-lasting, even permanent.
Restorative Dentistry or Cosmetic and Physiologic Dentistry in Columbus, Oh?
Physiologic dentistry is also sometimes called on in service of other dental approaches, such as cosmetic or restorative dentistry. In this case, physiologic dentistry helps by ensuring that restorations promote and are protected by healthy jaw function. Malocclusion can be caused by dental restorations that aren’t designed using physiologic principles and therefore disrupt the harmony of the jaw system. These restorations can lead to TMJ symptoms and/or the premature failure of the restorations themselves.
Often, people want cosmetic or restorative dentistry in response to tooth damage like chipped, cracked, or worn teeth. When this damage is caused by jaw dysfunction, any restorations that are placed will also become cracked and worn. Using physiologic dentistry, we can plan restorations that will be long-lasting, healthy, and more attractive because they are based on the proper rest position of your jaw.
If you want to learn more about what makes physiologic dentistry an indispensable tool, please call (614) 848-5001 or contact us online for an appointment with a Columbus, Ohio physiological dentist at Firouzian Dentistry today.
