Orofacial Therapeutics is dedicated to supporting the clinicians who treat orofacial pain and those who suffer from facial, head, neck and jaw pain by providing resources and tools to aid in recovery, and by maintaining a referral network for patients seeking clinicians who specialize in the treatment, prevention and management of chronic pain.
Each person responds differently to the tissue damage from facial, head, neck and jaw injury - and to the physical and emotional stresses associated with injury and disability - and this may complicate making an accurate diagnosis or appropriate treatment plan.
Not all patients are confronting their dilemma of facial, head, neck and jaw pain immediately after an acute injury/trauma. Some have an ongoing condition and some may have seen other professionals but have not obtained relief.
Our mission is to collaborate with dental educators to provide diagnostic aids and initial treatment protocols for acute jaw and muscle sprain/strain. We support specialists and general dentists with tools to quickly diagnose and treat your patients effectively while minimizing possible progression to a chronic or more complex condition.
Dr. Brad Eli: Following my post-graduate training, I spent 10 years in the pain centers of hospitals at both Loma Linda University and University of California San Diego. As an educator and provider, I was part of a multi-disciplinary team of care providers faced with the most challenging pain conditions. During the last 20 years I have been in a private practice environment specializing in the care and treatment of facial pain, TMJ disorders, headache management, and treatment of sleep disordered breathing. I invented the QuickSplint to address a number of different issues related to the jaw and associated muscles.
Our mission expanded with the help of Dr. Lee Ann Brady, Dr. John Weston, Dr. Peter Nordland, Dr. Gary Carr, and other dental colleagues. We aim to meet the needs of dentists for practical tools for diagnosing parafunction, minimizing risk of jaw injury from long dental procedures, initiating treatment for acute jaw pain, and determining when to refer to an orofacial pain specialist.
Dr. James Fricton: We realized that we could make an important contribution to healthcare if we gave dentists a better understanding of how to react to jaw pain on the front lines of dentistry, and how to prevent jaw joint and muscle sprain/strain (JAMSS) that can result from hyperextension of the jaw during long dental procedures. Research has shown us that pain management becomes increasingly difficult if the pain persists.
We developed a diagnostic protocol called the Speed2Treat Protocol for JAMSS, to help dentists have a clear protocol for the diagnosis and treatment of postoperative jaw and muscle pain and a guide to risk assessment for their patients. JAMSS is an acronym for Jaw and Muscle Sprain/Strain. We have developed several self-care instructions, jaw stretches, and exercises for dentists to provide their patients.
We encourage adoption of these simple protocols in all dental training programs, whether the QuickSplint or a comparable product is used and recommended. Please contact us for use of our training materials, speaking engagements, or product samples. We welcome your suggestions and feedback.