Dr. Brian Hale

A transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator is an electronic device that produces electrical signals that stimulate nerves through your skin. It is usually connected to the skin using two or more electrodes. There are also battery-operated TENS units that consist of a pulse generator, transformer, frequency and intensity controls and electrodes. In dentistry, the TENS is used as a method of pain relief for patients suffering from temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD), a very painful, but common, condition relating to a misalignment of the jaw. TMD causes a whole host of symptoms including:

• Jaw pain
• Jaw tightness
• Facial pain
• Neck and shoulder pain
• Ringing in the ears
• Popping and clicking of the jaw
• Severe headache
• Limited jaw movement
• Teeth clenching
• Teeth grinding (bruxism)
• Tender, sensitive teeth

Highly trained neuromuscular dentists such as Dr. Brian Hale use the TENS machine to help their TMD patients find some relief from these painful, chronic symptoms. By aligning the jaw in its optimal position, dentists are able to treat TMD, which, in turn, dramatically improves the lives of their patients.

Muscles of the face and neck are often 'programmed' (propriocepted) to control head and mandibular posture in a way that accommodates occlusion (occlusion is your “bite”), even though that particular occlusion may be less than ideal. Dr. Hale wants to relax these often tense muscles to find their true resting state and establish the occlusion at that position. It is extremely difficult to voluntarily overcome this proprioception, so 'TENS' is used.

If you think you may suffer from TMD and would like to learn more about how TENS can help alleviate your painful symptoms, please contact our office today to schedule your initial appointment. We serve patients in San Antonio and surrounding areas of Texas.