From: TMJ & Orofacial Pain Treatment Centers
2626 N. 76th St.
Wauwatosa, WI53213
Contact: Dr. Randall McDaniel, 414-476-9400
or Jordan Fox, 414-352-2645
(Wauwatosa, September 15, 2006–) Dr. Randall J. McDaniel, a resident of Delafield, has joined the TMJ & Orofacial Pain Treatment Centers and the Snoring and Sleep Apnea Wellness Centers of Wisconsin, 2626 N. 76th St., Wauwatosa. A specialist in Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorder and Sleep Apnea, he will treat patients in multiple offices throughout SE Wisconsin.
Dr. McDaniel is a native of Birmingham, AL. He did his undergraduate studies at Auburn University, Auburn, AL, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He earned a Doctor of Medical Dentistry degree at the University of Alabama School of Dentistry, Birmingham, and completed a two-year advanced residency program in TMJD, also focusing on Sleep Apnea, at the University of Minnesota, MN.
He recently retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in the US Air Force after 20 years of service. For the last six years he served as special consultant in orofacial pain to the USAF Surgeon General and was director of Oral Facial Pain and Sleep Apnea for the Air Force’s Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, TX.
From August, 2004 to February 2005, Dr. McDaniel spent six months in Iraq as part of the command and control team at a U.S. Army surgical hospital in Balad, about 40 miles north of Baghdad. The hospital was the initial location for all wounded Americans before they were evacuated to medical facilities in Germany. Because he served with distinction, he was awarded the Iraq Campaign Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
Dr. McDaniel is currently accepting new patients for TMJD and Sleep Apnea, and can be contacted at 414-476-9400 or 414-755-4788.
TMJ Disorder Explained
The TMJ is located in front of each ear and is where the lower jaw hinges to the skull bone on each side. According to Dr. McDaniel, about one in five individuals has some form of TMJ Disorder. Women, usually in the 20 to 50-year-old age range, are the most common group of individuals who manifest symptoms, but the condition is also common in children, as well as senior citizens.
“The first signs of TMJ Disorder or orofacial pain are often clicking or popping noises in the jaw joint,” he says. “Opening the jaw can be difficult and there is pain when chewing or talking.
“Other symptoms of the disorder can include tooth grinding, pain in or around the ear, neck, face and/or back, as well as ringing in the ears or dizziness.”
According to Dr. McDaniel, it is important to use TMJ Computerized X-Ray Equipment for accurate diagnostics. “Once diagnosed, treatment for TMJ-disorders is relatively simple. Because of the varied number of possible symptoms, however, a specially trained dentist is needed to prescribe the appropriate type of treatment.”
Dr. McDaniel explains that most patients require an oral orthopedic appliance (or splint) designed specifically for each patient’s individually diagnosed symptoms. The splint is made of clear acrylic and usually fits over the upper teeth. “Store-bought, nightguards, or pre-made appliances are not usually appropriate for TMJ Disorder treatment,” he cautions. “They are one-size-fits-all and can negatively affect the teeth, bite, gums and bones.
“For the muscular component of the disorder, physical therapy including ultrasound, massage or exercise therapy is usually required.”
Sleep Apnea
Sleep Apnea, which Dr. McDaniel also specializes in, is characterized by repetitive episodes of upper airway obstruction that occur during sleep. Symptoms include excessive daytime sleepiness and frequent episodes of obstructed breathing during sleep. “It is a potentially serious condition that can even result in death. It requires immediate attention,” he says.
Snoring is often the first early warning sign of these conditions, according to Dr. McDaniel. “If snoring stops for brief periods lasting from seconds to a minute or more, and then resumes with a loud gasp or choking noise, that’s another warning sign.” Symptoms can also include poor memory, difficulty concentrating, irritability, weight gain, impotence and personality changes.
Dr. McDaniel advises individuals with suspected Sleep Apnea to see someone who specializes in sleep medicine.
“There are a variety of therapies,” he says. “For severe cases, we recommend using a pneumatic medical device, called a CPAP, that forces oxygen into the airway maintaining open passages while the person sleeps.”
For those with mild to moderate sleep apnea, sleep apnea dental appliances are recommended and approved by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, he reports.
