MIRO Therapy® explained

Pain has to start somewhere. There has to be a tissue in which it originates. 90% of head and neck pain originates in muscle. Nerves are involved since nerves innervate our muscles but most pain originates in muscle.

The lower jaw is the only part of the human body that gets positioned by where teeth come together. And the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) that attaches our lower jaw to our head is the only joint in the human body that gets positioned by where teeth come together.

If our bite aligns the lower jaw incorrectly, yet the muscles of the head and neck still have to support and stabilize the jaw in that position – they can fatigue, stress or spasm. We experience muscle hypertonicity. Our muscles are always on, always hot, always firing. Even when they should be resting.

If this persists, the pain receptors embedded in the connective tissue embedded in our muscles, initiate pain. The hypertonic muscles give noxious signals to the nerves that innervate them and the nerves fire. It becomes a vicious cycle of pain from muscles and nerves.

And if the bite aligns the temporomandibular joint(s) incorrectly, it can cause clicking, popping, locking and joint damage.

So, let’s dive deeper into what MIRO Therapy® is and how it can correct these problems.

It starts with a one-on-one consultation with one of our doctors to discuss your problems and concerns, an initial examination, a preliminary determination of whether our treatment can benefit you and suggested next steps.

Advanced imaging of your head, neck, jaw and temporomandibular joints can be taken if desired, with cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT scan). The scan is reviewed in detail by your doctor and a head and neck radiologist. The radiologist provides a written report of findings.

Next, a follow-up consultation is scheduled with your doctor to show you your CBCT imaging, discuss your TMJ problem and its solution. Treatment options are outlined in detail and all your questions will be answered. If you choose to move forward with treatment, a 3-hour MIRO Therapy® diagnostic workup is scheduled.

The diagnostic workup is comprised of a unique, computerized analysis of your jaw motion and function, your temporomandibular joint motion and function, and EMG (electromyography) analysis of the muscles of the head and neck that move your jaw and joints.

The MIRO Therapy® diagnostic work-up allows us to determine the precise, correct position for your lower jaw and temporomandibular joints. Additionally, 3D models are created of your upper and lower teeth and jaw. A bite registration of the corrected bite is taken, again utilizing computerized analysis of your muscle function and jaw position while taking the bite registration.

Once the precise, correct position for your jaw and joints is determined, a prescription is sent to a laboratory with exact specifications to construct a removable lower bite appliance that fits securely, yet comfortably on top of your lower teeth. The bite appliance is removable, comfortable to wear and very discrete.

The purpose of the bite appliance is to maintain the lower jaw and jaw joints in their correct, optimal position that was determined during the previous three-hour diagnostic workup. The bite appliance is worn 24/7. You can speak in it, eat in it, sleep in it… in essence, go about your day normally and comfortably. The only time patients remove the bite appliance is to brush their teeth.

As the temporomandibular joints, muscles, discs, tendons and ligaments are maintained in their correct position… the body can heal. Our bodies are hardwired, genetically-coded to heal. This treatment is no different. Our goal is to place the jaw, joints and muscles in their correct position (where they should have been in the first place) with our proprietary bite appliance, stabilize the bite, jaw and joints and allow the structures to heal.

Once the bite appliance has been delivered to you, we will see you for follow-up appointments. A normal course of MIRO Therapy® lasts six months, start to finish. During that time, we will see you approximately once a month.

Follow-up appointments are two hours each in length. One hour of the appointment consists of physical therapy designed to reduce inflammation, reduce or eliminate pain and help heal tissue. You rest comfortably, reclining in a chair, and we utilize a fully robotic, computer-controlled laser whose only purpose is to reduce inflammation, pain and to heal tissue. It is highly effective. We also utilize a specialized TENS machine that relaxes and helps heal the muscles of your head and neck.

The second hour of each follow-up appointment is spent adjusting your removable bite appliance. You remove it from your mouth and we take your appliance into our lab to adjust it. We never adjust or modify your teeth. All adjustments are done to your removable bite appliance only, and the adjustments to the appliance are done when it is out of your mouth. You will come to your appointment wearing your bite appliance and you go home wearing your bite appliance.

Slowly but surely, over a period of six months, we are repositioning your temporomandibular joints to their precise, correct position and your body is healing.

The new, correct position of your joints is confirmed by a new CBCT scan.

Additionally, there are several physical-therapy-only appointments scheduled that are one and a half hours each in length. At these appointments we don’t adjust your bite appliance, but rather have an entire ninety minutes to render physical therapy, including additional physical modalities such as NuCalm, ultrasound, massage, hand-held laser and others.

At the six-month completion of your MIRO Therapy®, your temporomandibular joints, articular disc and bite relationship will be in their correct position and you should be feeling and functioning far better. At this time, we can jointly decide on any further referrals, options as appropriate.

The sooner you understand this, the sooner you’ll heal and start living a richer life

Your bite can be off as little as a few tenths of a millimeter and still cause the muscles to fire. This tiny discrepancy is enough to upset this delicate system and create pain and dysfunction.

MIRO Therapy® utilizes a virtually invisible, precision aligner to maintain the bite, head, neck and jaw in the proper alignment where the muscles and joints function normally. Over time the muscles, joints and nerves heal… returning to normal function. The pain is reduced or resolved completely.

It’s so effective, the results are unconditionally guaranteed.

With MIRO Therapy®, you don’t need shots, drugs or invasive surgery to successfully treat your TMJ.

Accurate diagnosis is crucial to success. Enter MIRO Therapy®.

Solving a complex health issue isn’t supposed to be easy. It’s supposed to be hard. Beware a quick diagnosis. To achieve superior treatment results, insight into TMJ physiology has to be superior. Thus, we must learn things others don’t, see things differently and do a better job of analyzing them – ideally all three.

MIRO Therapy® asks the right questions and utilizes the right diagnostics to ensure your treatment delivers the results you want and deserve: This is what makes MIRO Therapy® one of the most accurate TMJ treatments available today.

The relationship between tissue (muscle, nerve, bone) and function (movement and bite relationship) holds the ultimate key to treatment success. Ignoring them rarely works out well.

Most doctors are simplistic, preoccupied with medication and relief of symptoms. Some gain insight and learn it’s important to understand physiology and function.

But it’s the rare few who achieve the sophistication required to appreciate the subtle differences in mandibular position, a key element in the production or relief of pain.

How MIRO Therapy®’s unique technology can deliver exceptional results

Our patients’ outcomes are the result of our unique technology, our expertise, our singular focus and the effort and commitment of our team. Our team acts with a sense of ownership, heart and passion creating a permanent advantage that can only be acquired over many years.

We have the expertise and resources to provide the finest of care.

Here’s why this matters to you

Simply put… we’re different than anything you’ve experienced before.

At a cursory glance, you may incorrectly assume all doctors and treatment are pretty similar. But look closer and you’ll see that our team, our approach and our results are far from usual.

Ask yourself:

1)  Why get 30 shots of Botox in your jaw or submit to invasive surgery when you could avail yourself to our proven therapy?

2) Why settle for only temporary relief with night guards or drugs with side effects when your underlying problem continues and possibly worsens?

3) How much better could you be feeling with MIRO Therapy®?