Man gets freedom from TMJ pain

By Jomay Steen, Journal staff | Tuesday, December 11, 2007

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When David Sisson arrived at Dr. Jeff Loftus’ dental practice, it was after nearly 30 years of constant pain from temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMJ.

Last summer, Sisson, 55, had exhausted his search for the cure to his daily migraines and discomfort, or so he thought. Born with misaligned teeth — a condition called malocclusion, which means that the upper and lower teeth do not rest together in the correct way when the mouth is closed — Sisson began to grind his teeth while asleep. The teeth grinding was especially pronounced when he was under stress, which led to extraordinary discomfort in his neck, shoulders, facial pain as well as headache, he said.

The discomfort suppressed his appetite and caused bouts of depression, Sisson said.

In 1984, Sisson’s dentist diagnosed the Corral Drive Elementary School standard support specialist with TMJ, which he thought would mean relief from his pain. But after a series of broken dental appliances, a crumbling joint pad and thousands of dollars in orthodontic and dental bills, Sisson simply gave up.

But new hope arrived last summer after a chance discussion after church with Loftus, who has practiced dentistry in Rapid City for more than 10 years. His practice is Amazing Smiles.

Along with his dentistry degree, Loftus has had advanced neuromuscular dentistry training at the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies, which is one of the nation’s leading schools in neuromuscular dentistry.

His conversation with Sisson led Loftus to ask Sisson to arrange an appointment for a thorough exam using advanced technology and new groundbreaking techniques.

“I thought this was the answer to my pain; I remember weeping in relief,� Sisson said.

Loftus sees about three or four patients a week with the disorder. It is estimated that 10 to 25 million Americans suffer from TMJ, but only about 1 percent of all dentists have the advanced training or education to treat the condition, he said.

“It goes undiagnosed and untreated in most cases,� Loftus said.

Those who go undiagnosed may experience tinnitus, unexplained loose teeth, jaw pain, limited jaw movement, locking jaw, numbness in the fingers and arms, worn or cracked teeth, clicking or popping in the jaw.

Loftus, with the use of specialized equipment such as transcutaneous electrical neural stimulation (TENS), electromyography, jaw tracking and other scanning equipment, has been able to treat the condition and help alleviate those symptoms, he said.

“Unfortunately, many people don’t know something can be done for their headaches and migraines,� he said.

At this point, it was a quality of life issue for Sisson, Loftus said.

While most people may have experienced some degree of TMJ, many adapt to it. But Sisson’s was different. “I was shocked at the degree of discomfort he was going through,� Loftus said of Sisson.

Loftus’ plan was to find the physiological resting place of Sisson’s jaw, where the facial muscles relax and the joint was in a stable condition. Because of the malocclusion, Sisson’s teeth met at only one place — his left molars at the back of his jaw. Loftus then moved and rebuilt Sisson’s teeth so that the entire set of teeth comfortably fit together when at rest.

In mid-November, Sisson arrived for a TENS session. As Sisson relaxed in a dental chair, a mild electric current ran through electronic leads attached to his face and neck, stimulating his facial muscles to contract, then relax. After about an hour, Loftus returned to take an impression of Sisson’s mouth to check his bite.

It was nearing the end of a four-month-long process toward a normal jaw alignment and freedom from pain. Loftus joked with Sisson while attaching the leads.

“He’s disappointed that we’re almost finished,� Loftus said.

“The process was intense, but absolutely worth it,� Sisson said.

He experienced sensitivity to hot and cold foods during the process, but that has since diminished. Sisson also has been able to eat foods that he hasn’t had since he was a teenager.

“Yesterday was the first day I had a hard-shell taco. I couldn’t eat anything with a hard texture â€- it felt so good to eat tacos again,â€� he said.

But the biggest difference, besides the bright smile Sisson readily flashes to friends and strangers alike, is the absence of his daily migraines. Without having to cope with that intense pain, Sisson has had a change in focus. He has noted seeing and sensing things in a new light because of the lack of pain.

“It was hard to define my life without it, but I don’t believe it’s going to be an issue,� Sisson said.

Contact Jomay Steen at 394-8418 or jomay.steen@rapidcityjournal.com.