TMJ Treatment Atlanta

Understanding TMJ – My level of understanding and knowledge has grown with focused continuing education in this field.

Understanding TMD became a priority when in 2000 my oldest daughter started developing symptoms of head and neck pain that I could not explain. Not only was she suffering from jaw pain, facial pain and a popping jaw, but her bite started to change and I was at a loss to understand why. I have had the good fortune to have had some of the best continuing education available in dentistry, but nothing had prepared me for what I saw happening with my daughter. I sought the help of a specialist in TMD in Atlanta, but he missed the diagnosis and said she was going to be fine. Because of her decline in the presence of an inaccurate diagnosis, I decided to become educated in this field. I have been focusing my continuing education on TMJ treatment since 2000 and I continue to be dismayed by a lack of understanding within the profession (both medical and dental) on what actually  is occurring in these TMD cases. During this time, I was still in private practice in north Atlanta, so most of the patients I began seeing with TMD problems were in my own practice.

 

TMJ Treatment AtlantaIt wasn’t long after all this started that I found out that the building where I had practiced for 26 years was going to be torn down. Though I was young to be retiring, I did not want to be starting over building a new office in my mid 50’s. Fortunately, a young dentist approached me and offered to buy my practice. Within a few years I was offered a position with Oral Surgery Associates to work in their Buckhead office treating the TMD patients that were referred to them.

 

TMJ Treatment AtlantaSince 2004 I have been working independently with this surgical group. My level of understanding and knowledge has grown with focused continuing education in this field. I have pursued a path of study with the Piper Educational Institute located in St. Petersburg, Florida that is focused on TMD treatment and head and neck pain management. This in itself has provided me with outstanding instruction as well as needed interaction with my peers on this difficult topic.