Testimonials
I have suffered from TMJ for over 5 years. I was living in California and was being treated by an orthodontist there. I was fitted with an orthotic and it did help with the pain. I was only to wear it for a few months but wore it for 4 years. I was told I was not ready for the next step. I slowly started to see the old symptoms coming back, the jaw pain, massive migraines and swelling in the jaw. I thought this is how my life’s to be, with no light at the end of the tunnel. Then I move to Las Vegas. My husband and I went to a health expo and that’s when I met the staff of Dr. Escoto from the Nevada TMJ Institute (also known as A Beautiful Smile). I immediately made an appointment for a consultation. I have been with Dr. Escoto since July of 2005, I basically needed to start over with the new orthotic, but this time it was different, I felt a difference in how I was chewing and the pain started to subside as did the swelling and the headaches. I wore the orthotic for 6 months and have progress enough to start the next phase in my treatment. Dr. Escoto is a great professional who keeps up on all the newest technology and treatments and he really cares about his patients. He also makes sure his staff is just as professional. I am very happy to have found Dr. Escoto and his staff. Because of his skills, knowledge and treatments, I have progress in a matter of months. I look forward to continuing this journey knowing that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Ann V., 02/06
Stopping The Pain For People Who Are Misdiagnosed With Migraines
We all know how painful and debilitating a headache can be, but imagine having one every day for months. What if no over the counter medications did anything to relieve the pain and no doctor could figure out what was wrong. It happened to one local teenager. In this Stay Fit focus Action News anchor Nina Radetich explains how she found the cure in an unlikely place. "It was just like pounding, non-stop pounding in my head, and sometimes I could hear it thundering in my ears," explained Baylee England. Unlike most 12 year olds, Baylee England has dealt with adult sized headaches. "I just did not feel good at all. I felt like someone had thrown a train at my head," said Baylee. The pain started when she was ten. Doctors prescribed different medications for the migraines, but the pills were a band aid at best, and they came with some debilitating side effects. "It was affecting my life, I changed completely," said Baylee. Baylee's mom refused to give up. "As long as she was in pain, I was going to be there with her, and I would never give up trying to find a cure," said Kristen England. Baylee's parents took her to every kind of doctor, but the answer was not where they expected. "I knew looking back that this had started after she had some dental work," said Kristen. Baylee's orthodontist was the first to refer her to a jaw specialist. Doctor Mark Escoto specializes in tempormandibular disorder or TMD. That is when the TMJ or tempormandibular joint, your jaw, is out of line. It can cause serious pain. "If your jaw is constantly trying to find a certain position, it is working overtime on both sides. So that is when you get that tension type headache, that is like a band around your head," said Dr. Escoto. Baylee's not the first to get misdiagnosed with migraines, but there are some symptoms unique to TMD. Dr. Escoto recognized those in Baylee right away. "She had some jaw pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, muscle sore, teeth clenching and grinding. The headaches were on both sides, she definitely had TMD, " said Dr. Escoto. To get her jaw in line Baylee wears an acrylic orthotic that looks like a retainer. "At first it felt weird, I was like what the heck is this thing in my mouth. It feels like false teeth." said Baylee. The effects were almost immediate. "Well it fixed immediately, and it felt like I never had migraines whatsoever ever in my life," said Baylee. It was a long road to an easy fix, one the England's hope other families do not have to travel.