What Is Facial Pain?
The term facial pain includes most pain around the face or jaw. This includes pain of headaches or migraines, the pain of the TMJ or the jaw joint, and even the debilitating pain of trigeminal neuralgia or Ménière’s disease.
Dr. Coker has successfully treated many patients with facial pain using Disclusion Time Reduction (DTR), an advanced therapy developed by Dr. Robert Kerstein of Boston, MA, that uses a computer-assisted approach to make minor tooth adjustments, improving occlusal function and allowing the muscles to relax. By properly aligning your bite and relaxing the surrounding muscles, we can usually eliminate the pain and avoid surgery.
📞Call (903) 636-8701 for relief today!
T-SCAN and DTR Treatments
Did you know that the way your teeth fit together can have a direct impact on how you feel? Dr. Coker uses a T-Scan to determine how a patient’s teeth are contacting each other.
Oftentimes, dental work can be a culprit. In the past, you may have gotten a cavity filled or had a crown placed that seemed to interfere with your “bite.” Maybe you had a sore tooth because you suddenly began hitting it hard when you ate. If left uncorrected, you may experience jaw pain, headaches, or even gum recession. In some people, it may have even progressed to Meniere’s disease.
Just checking your “bite” with the T-Scan can help Dr. Coker adjust any new dental work. He adds a technique called DTR (disclusal time reduction) to help him diagnose more complex cases, which involves placing electrodes to relax your jaw muscles.
📞Call (903) 636-8701 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Coker today!
Migraines & TMD
TMD/TMJ is a disorder affecting a person’s two temporomandibular joints, which are located directly in front of the ears. A patient struggling with TMD may experience a wide range of painful or aggravating symptoms, among them frequent headaches or migraines.
After a thorough examination and evaluation, Dr. Coker may recommend DTR treatment. Many patients have told us, “I’ve had migraines for years, and after two or three treatments, I am migraine-free!”
Trigeminal Neuralgia
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a type of chronic pain disorder that involves sudden attacks of severe facial pain. It affects the trigeminal nerve, or the fifth cranial nerve, which provides feeling and nerve signaling to parts of the head and face. Pain attacks typically last only a few seconds (but can last up to two minutes) and may occur over and over again several times a day.
Symptoms of TN include:
The intensity of pain can be physically and emotionally devastating. TN attacks typically stop for a while and then return. Pain attacks can be triggered by vibration or contact with the cheek (such as when shaving, washing the face, or applying makeup), teeth brushing, nose blowing, eating, drinking, talking, or exposure to wind. The pain may affect a small area of the face or spread.
Many physicians treat the pain with drugs, lasers, or even brain surgery. DTR therapy treats the cause without surgery or drugs, which indicates it may be the most advantageous first line of therapy.
- Sudden, intense pain, often described as a shock-like or stabbing pain, typically on one side of the face
- Burning, throbbing, numbness, tingling, or dull aching sensation between attacks
Ménière’s Disease
A disorder thought to be caused by fluid in the ears, which can produce symptoms such as tinnitus (ringing in the ears), vertigo, and hearing loss. It is considered to be incurable, but symptoms are treated with drugs, physical therapy, hearing aids, and even surgery. Oftentimes, Ménière’s disease can be treated with DTR by a trained, qualified dentist like Dr. Coker.
📞Call (903) 636-8701 for relief today!
Hear From Our Patients
Real stories from real patients across the ArkLaTex. Hear what it's like to walk through our doors, sit in our chair, and walk back out with the smile they've been waiting for.
Frequently Asked Questions