I frequently hear stories of patients who have severe circumstances that result from relatively non-invasive treatment. An example below is the letter I just received.
A temporary crown placed in the middle of January 2010 caused horrible face pain, eye pressure stabbing ear pains, refered tooth pains, migraines on opposite side of normal, facial numbness and neck spasms. Extreme pain for about 7 weeks. Pain is still persistant but now at tolerable levels.Two trips to endodontic clinic sent me to Neuralogist who did MRI and MRA and diagnosed me with Neurological disorder triggered by dental work. It is time to put on crown permanently. Neurologist says next event could trigger more intense an longer lasting pain. Is there any dentist in Wichita, Ks. who might cause less trauma with this procedure? Neurologist next wants to do a sleep study to see if improper night oxygen levels could be causing overactive nervous system and delayed healing. Would love to hear your comments! Thank you for your consideration, B.A.
The question is what set off this problem? Usually there were existing problems already present and the new crown was the proverbial "strw that broke the camels back". It is possible that the crown was too big or changed the bite but it is also possible that merely having the mouth open for an extended appointment was enough to create the problem. Regardless, once the problem is in full glory it often takes more than just correcting the crown to fix the problem.
The basic principles of neuromuscular dentistry is to idealize position of the jaw, the jaw muscles, the jaw joint and the bite to a position of minimal adaptation for healing. Neurological problems related to the trigeminal nerve will frequently self correct.
