Treatment of Movement Disorders

ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS FOR HEAD & FACIAL MOVEMENT DISORDERS TREATMENT. Call our office for a FREE Consultation (through December 31, 2013)

There are several diseases and disorders that have been linked to problems with TMJ. The following list provides a look into these diseases and shows the connection that TMJ/TMD with specific facets of the disorders. Our goal is reduce your symptoms!

• Movement Disorders treated include:
• Parkinson's Disease
• Tourette's Syndrome
• Cervical Dystonia or Spasmodic Torticollis
• "Nervous Tics or Twitches"

"Treatment of Parkinson's symptoms, such as tremors or balance problems, using an oral orthotic has been shown to be effective in specific case studies." ...when disturbances in the trigeminal nerve are corrected using an oral orthotic, it can lead to improvement of balance and gait, as well as decrease or elimination of tremors, corrections of head posture or position, and release of neck tension. (Demerjian, Sims & Stack, 2011)

Accordingly, the trigeminal nerve has been implicated in motor dysfunctions and is thought to affect the temporomandibular joint (Demerjian, Sims & Stack, 2011) TMJ/TMD disorders is one of Dr. Woodlief's specialties. This relationship becomes the premise for an alternative treatment for motor disorders, such as TS. By repositioning the teeth and lower jaw to augment the compression of the auriculotemporal nerve endings in the TMJ, stimulation of the nerves that affect shoulder movements can cease, and the shoulder shrugging tic diminishes (Sims & Demerjian, 2012)