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Neuromuscular Orthodontics in Gainesville

3 women smiling after receiving braces at Dr. Bassiri's Gainesville dental practiceDr. Bassiri has studied traditional orthodontics, he is Invisalign-certified to administer clear braces, and he also trained in neuromuscular functional orthodontics at LVI. At our Fairfax dental office we recommend orthodontics to not only correct the appearance of a smile, but also to correct occlusion (the bite), which improves oral function.

If you need braces, Dr. Bassiri will study your X-rays and intraoral photos to determine the best orthodontic treatment plan for you. He'll share these images and explain your options and the goals he can achieve through your treatment. Adults can choose from straight-wire braces or clear braces by Invisalign, in many cases. Clear braces offer a virtually undetectable treatment option, and they can be removed temporarily for special occasions and daily oral hygiene. Dr. Bassiri will gladly answer all of your questions about orthodontic treatment for cosmetics or bite correction.

Neuromuscular orthodontics is a unique dental approach that considers neuromuscular information while evaluating, planning, and performing orthodontic treatment. While traditional orthodontics focuses almost solely on the teeth, jaw bone, and joints, neuromuscular orthodontics also takes into account the airway and the muscles that allow the jaw to function properly. This approach addresses the way in which the musculature of the head and neck impacts the upper airway and the alignment of the jaw.

Benefits of Neuromuscular Orthodontic Treatment

Neuromuscular dentistry (NMD) brings treatment planning to an entirely new level. In addition to the considerations included in traditional orthodontics, NMD studies the underlying cause of misalignment, discomfort, and impaired jaw function. This allows your neuromuscular dentist to fully address the reason teeth are misaligned, therefore making treatment faster, more comfortable, and vastly more effective. In addition, the risk of a recurring misalignment issue is substantially lessened, if not eliminated entirely. With this highly optimized treatment, your new bite is fully functional and beautiful.

What is the Cause of Abnormal Muscle Force in the Jaw?

Your teeth, jaw joints, and the muscles of your head and neck all work together as parts of an intricate system. The teeth are the most significant component of this system, influencing a variety of factors. If teeth are misaligned and don’t fit together properly, the jaw joint and the surrounding muscles will work harder in an attempt to align them. Overworked muscles lead to an entirely new host of problems, including jaw pain, headaches, and a misaligned jaw joint. All parts of the system found to be at fault for these problems need to be addressed in order to restore balance. That is the aim of neuromuscular orthodontics.

Neuromuscular Orthodontics: Treating the Root Cause

All of the factors listed here – including everything from a bad bite and a restricted airway to tongue habits and poor neck/head posture – contribute to abnormal muscle forces that negatively impact occlusion (the way your teeth fit together). A failure to correct all of these problems with proper orthodontic treatment can lead to relapse of the treated teeth and can affect the development of facial muscles, particularly in younger patients.