951-786-9600
3701 Market St. Suite E
Riverside CA, 92501
What Is FOSA Therapy?
FOSA (Functional Orthopedic Stabilizing Appliance) is used to treat patients with all types of TMD (temporomandibular disorder). Common signs include severely worn dentition, mobile teeth, bone loss and gum recession due to occlusal trauma, and much more. FOSA can give immediate TMJ pain relief. The therapy uses a customized, removable hard acrylic appliance that eliminates occlusal prematurities and interferences to eccentric movements. In other words, the appliance gives you an ideal, even bite with your jaw joints balanced properly in their sockets.
Signs You May Have TMJ Disorder
TMD can show up in the jaw joint itself, in the teeth, or as pain elsewhere in the head and face. Common signs include:
Jaw pain of varying degrees, and jaw locking
Clicking, popping or grating sounds in the jaw joint
Reduced ability to open or close the mouth
Severe headaches, and dull, aching pain in the face
Intermittent ringing in the ears
Biting or chewing discomfort
Extremely sensitive teeth and severely worn dentition
Mobile (loose) teeth, bone loss and gum recession due to occlusal trauma
Clenching vs. Bruxing
There are two nonfunctional uses of the teeth. Both put force on the teeth and jaw joints that they were never designed to absorb.
Clenching is involuntarily squeezing the teeth together. It can happen day or night and often goes unnoticed, and the load falls on the jaw joints, the muscles and the supporting bone.
Bruxing is grinding the teeth, usually along with clenching. It happens most often during sleep, and it wears down enamel, tooth structure and any restorations you have.
How FOSA Therapy Can Help
FOSA therapy can benefit patients in the following ways:
1. Addresses extremely sensitive teeth, severely worn dentition, mobile teeth, bone loss and recession caused by occlusal trauma.
2. Relieves TMD symptoms such as reduced ability to open or close the mouth, jaw pain of varying degrees, jaw joint noises like clicking, popping and grating, and jaw locking.
3. Successfully treats severe headaches, biting or chewing discomfort, intermittent ringing in the ears, and dull, aching facial pain caused by a bad bite or misalignment of the teeth (malocclusion).
4. Serves as a diagnostic tool for restorative dentistry, stabilizing the jaw joints before you embark on complex restorative treatment.
5. Protects esthetic porcelain and resin restorations from the ravages of nocturnal bruxing and clenching.
A Program Refined Over 45 Years
FOSA Therapy was originally developed by Dr. Thomas Basta and Dr. Jerry Preiner and has been refined by other dentists since. Dentists from around the world take the course to better understand TMJ and its disorders. The program has been in place for over forty-five years, and patients who stay compliant with the technique have seen dramatic improvement in the overall health of their teeth and in associated symptoms.
But I Already Have a Night Guard
Generally, occlusal appliances — a splint or night guard — are delivered to the patient exactly as the lab produced them, and then forgotten. The majority of these appliances create unanticipated results: breakage, pain, or worse, permanent pathological TMJ and occlusal distortion. A FOSA appliance is different because it is adjusted to your bite and your joints, not simply handed over as is.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does FOSA stand for?
Functional Orthopedic Stabilizing Appliance. It is a customized, removable hard acrylic appliance used to treat all types of temporomandibular disorder.
How is it different from the night guard I already have?
Most splints and night guards are delivered as the lab made them and never adjusted. A FOSA appliance is fitted and adjusted to eliminate occlusal prematurities and interferences, so your bite is even and your jaw joints are balanced in their sockets.
Can FOSA therapy help before major dental work?
Yes. It is also used as a diagnostic tool in restorative dentistry, stabilizing the jaw joints before complex restorative treatment begins.
Will it protect my crowns and veneers?
FOSA effectively protects esthetic porcelain and resin restorations from the ravages of nocturnal bruxing and clenching.
Living With Jaw Pain? Let's Find the Cause.
Call Hashimi Dental at 951-786-9600 to ask about FOSA therapy, or send us a message using the form below. We're at 3701 Market St. Suite E, Riverside, CA 92501.