2841 Hartland Road, Suite 301, Falls Church, VA 22043 703-821-1103
There is a high percentage of the population that deals with disordered breathing while sleeping. Many may not understand the effects of this, and how it plays into their daily life. Nor do they understand the options for fixing it. There are different routes to take while exploring what works best for you. MFT refers to Myofunctional Therapy. This means... read more »
It really is unfortunate that TMJ surgery is so misunderstood. Most patients, when told they might benefit from surgery, look it up online only to discover very scary pictures where the incision goes from the ear down to the chin on each side of their face. Then, after more research they learn that their teeth are wired shut for two... read more »
Dear Readers, yes, tongue exercises are really a thing. It’s called myofunctional therapy. What you do is you learn how to stretch and move the tongue in different directions so it does not get flaccid (limp) over time, and this keeps the airway more open because the adjacent muscles will tend to be in better shape! So, think of it... read more »
With many TMJ disorders, there oftentimes exist other problems that add to the mix -- these are called comorbidities. When understanding a TMJ disorder, it is often wise to figure out if the person might also have other medical conditions. A great few examples are EDS, POTS, and/or MCAS. Let’s review each of these and how they might affect the... read more »
In the past, it was quite common for an orthodontist to order extractions of perfectly good teeth to make the process of moving teeth and creating space with the use of braces easier. So many children are now presenting with narrow arches and crowded teeth that it made sense (somewhat) to remove the crowded teeth, thus allowing the orthodontic work... read more »
Here we are in the middle of 2022, and I have to admit that every day I am in the office I see incredible things. At this point I am so used to hearing that our patients feel better, headaches are down and they are sleeping. This has become the norm. But every now and then it just does... read more »
In the world of dealing with craniofacial and TMJ disorders, it is critical to look at any asymmetries or irregularities that might exist within a person’s skull. This can be as simple as just visually sitting down in front of that patient and looking at them from a critical viewpoint, or as detailed as taking X-rays from all angles and... read more »
TMJ and sleep disorders are very common but not really understood. This can explain why myths or misconceptions are out there. The other side of this coin is this is also commonly misdiagnosed because symptoms vary from person to person and are similar to other problems. One example of similarities is with Lyme Disease. This is caused by a tick... read more »
When I meet with new patients in our office, I have lots and lots of information that I give them to help them understand their TMJ and sleep problems. One of the biggest things we talk about is commitment. Yes, that’s right, when you come to my office you have to commit to the treatment regimen or it simply will... read more »
Myofunctional therapy is a program of specific exercises that target the facial muscles. The exercised-based therapy focuses on the mouth, tongue, and face muscles. These exercises are designed to develop, improve, and promote proper breathing, chewing, and swallowing. These exercises do strengthen the tongue. Below are frontal and side views of good normal growth and development of the orofacial structures.... read more »