Home-Based Physical Therapy Treatments for the TM Joint
The Myalgia or Myofascial pain protocol (MFP) is a self-directed home-based (and sometimes office-based) treatment approach, which includes several elements such as identifying and avoiding activities that are potentially harmful to the jaw system, increasing local...
Does Pain Catastrophizing Cause Heavier Drinking?
Chronic pain and heavy drinking are often found together. Knowing that, researchers set out to learn whether on or not those who engage in pain catastrophizing end up drinking heavier, too. They published the findings of their study in the Drug and Alcohol Dependence...
Preventive and Avoidance-Based Temporomandibular Treatments
Preventive and avoidance-based treatments to combat or resolve temporomandibular disorders are essential to relieving chronic pain. These procedures can be administered based on the circumstances or levels of pain. Self-limiting disease or non-progressive pain is an...
Diagnostic Tests for Temporomandibular Disorders
In this article we'll explore three primary tests to help diagnose temporomandibular disorders: Imaging tests Physical medicine tests Serologic tests 1. Imaging Tests A. Panoramic Radiographs A panoramic radiograph is utilized primarily to have a general vision of the...
Arthritic Temporomandibular Joint Disorders
Arthralgia or Capsulitis Arthralgia/Capsulitis is defined as a painful joint (even without any osseous changes) with increased tenderness to palpation pressure. The clinical history and examination evidence needed for this diagnosis includes: A unilateral or bilateral...
Internal Derangements of the Temporomandibular Joint
Internal Derangement is not a diagnosis but a category of conditions and it simply means abnormal function of the intra-articular structures. It is a non-specific term applied as a descriptive subdivision term for the group of non-arthritic TM joint disorders (e.g.,...
How to Diagnose Masticatory Muscle Disorders
Localized Myalgia Localized myalgia is a term used to describe a dull aching continuous which the patient localizes to muscles in the masticatory system (usually the masseter and temporalis) or cervical muscles (SCM and trapezius). If the myalgia is in...
How to Insert and Adjust Occlusal Stabilization Appliances
There are four primary elements that form the theoretical basis for an occlusal stabilization appliance: It protects teeth from wear It stabilizes an unstable bite It makes the patient more aware of any oral habit It allows you to reduce loading on a specific...
Oral Laser Ablation Surgery: Step-by-Step Guide for Dentists
What is a laser? Lasers are an intense, high energy, coherent (travels in a constant phase in time and space), monochromatic (a single wavelength particular to the medium), and collimated (travels in the same direction) electromagnetic radiation that is produced by a...
Step-by-Step Instructions for Performing Oral Cryotherapy
Oral Cryotherapy Oral cryotherapy is a very safe, easy to perform, and relatively inexpensive treatment for various selected oral lesions. You should never perform cryotherapy unless you know the diagnosis of the lesion you to freeze. HPV is associated with...
How to Perform a Jaw Bone Biopsy
What is a jaw bone biopsy? When you use the term “bone biopsy,” this could mean you are taking a piece of bone or you are taking tissue that resides inside a bone. There are two approaches for a bone biopsy. A closed/needle bone biopsy involves inserting a...
Acupuncture May Help Alleviate Osteoarthritis Pain
This article was originally published on Confronting Chronic Pain by Dr. Steven Richeimer, Director Pain Medicine Master and Certificate. New research emerged regarding the use of acupuncture to help with chronic pain caused by osteoarthritis. The information shared...
How to Perform an Oral Cyst Aspiration and Cytologic Smear
Cyst Aspiration A cyst is a membranous sac or cavity of abnormal character containing fluid. Indications for an Oral Cyst Aspiration For a jaw bone cyst lesion or any large soft tissue oral mucogingival cyst, aspirate the cyst aspiration. To help diagnosis of...
Vitamin D Levels May Affect Chronic Neuromuscular Pain
This article was originally published on Confronting Chronic Pain by Dr. Steven Richeimer, Director Pain Medicine Master and Certificate. Many people suffer from what is referred to as non-specific neuromuscular pain. They are in pain but can’t pinpoint a specific...
Minor Salivary Gland Biopsy for Diagnosing Sjogren’s Syndrome
Minor Salivary Gland (MSG) Biopsy Minor salivary gland (MSG) biopsy of the lower lip mucosa is used to confirm the diagnosis of Sjogren’s syndrome. Sjogren’s is a chronic autoimmune disorder involving the destruction of glandular tissue. Sjögren's syndrome can cause...
How to Conduct an Oral Cavity Punch Biopsy
What is a punch biopsy? An oral cavity punch biopsy is considered the primary technique to obtain diagnostic, full thickness skin specimens. It is performed using a circular blade or trephine attached to a pencil-like handle. The instrument is rotated down through...
How to Perform an Oral Biopsy
A biopsy is defined as the sampling or removal of tissues or liquids from the body for examination, in order to determine the existence or cause of a disease. A biopsy is strongly recommended for most of the lesions that persist for more than two weeks which...
An Intersectional Approach to Treating Chronic Pain
The medical records of chronic pain patients generally identify patient demographics including race, age, gender, or employment. Sometimes, the patient’s gender orientation status is also included. Except for racial/ethnic-specific reference intervals for laboratory...
COVID-19’s Impact on Homeless Populations in Los Angeles
As COVID-19 continues to threaten communities across the world, the homeless population is facing a "crisis in a crisis." Below is a presentation I've put together on the state of homelessness in Los Angeles, the impact COVID-19 has had on this population, and a few...
COVID-19’s Impact on Nursing Home Residents
Today we're talking about COVID-19's impact on nursing home residents that goes beyond what you might have heard in the news. Please find the recorded lecture, the PowerPoint presentation, and a formatted transcription of the lecture below. Don't have time to read...
Dental Hygiene Tips During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Keeping good oral health during the pandemic is not only important, but a critical message that must be adopted in every community. Read on to discover dental hygiene tips to stay healthy during the pandemic, and for caring for a COVID-19 positive patient. Don't have...
Trigger Point Mapping: Theory & Step-by-Step Technique
What is a trigger point? A trigger point is due to sensitized sensory nerves within a taut band of a muscle that when squeezed generates local and referred pain. The cause of a taut band is a hyperactive motor nerve branch, which generates sustained contraction in the...
How to Support Geriatric Patients with Dementia and COVID-19
This content was originally presented during the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC's 2020 Geriatric Boot Camp. The original presentation can be found below, as well as an adapted write-up of what we covered in our session. Don't have time to read the full...
How to Administer a Gingival Cold Test
This test is utilized when you have a focal, intraoral, probable neuropathic pain disorder involving a branch of the trigeminal nerve with palpable gingival allodynia/hyperalgesia and no obvious, local dental pathology exists such as tooth fractures, periapical...