Temporomandibular joint disorders, commonly known as TMJ, occurs when there is
poor function or mobility in the jaw joint or muscles. Light TMJ will cause
sharp, stabbing pains through your jaw joint when you bite down hard or are
eating crunchy foods. This is a nuisance
that can make it difficult to eat even you favorite foods. Eventually with
exercise and changing your eating habits the pain could subside but this is not
a guarantee.
More severe TMJ requires
medical treatment from an experienced dentist.
It can make even talking painful and eating is especially hard to
do. People with severe TMJ find that it
negatively impacts almost all areas of life.
Do I have TMJ?
There are signs you can
watch for to determine if you have the disorder. These include:
- · Jaw locking
- · Popping noise in your jaw
- · Headache
- · Neck ache
- · Pain in the jaw or face
- · Stiff jaw muscles
- · Pain when you chew
- · Change in your bite between your upper and lower teeth
The National Institute of
Health estimates that TMJ affects over 10 million Americans so if you are
experiencing these symptoms, you are not alone.
There are several ways to
treat TMJ. These include:
- · Gently stretching your jaw muscles.
- · Apply moist heat or a cold cloth to the painful area.
- · Don’t chew gum, yawn, or sing loudly.
- · Use pain medication in moderation.
- · Muscle relaxers can assist with helping you to not tighten the jaw.
These treatment options will
help you to manage the pain but they don’t do enough to prevent TMJ or to reverse
the problem in the first place. That is
why you need to seek treatment from a dentist.
A traditional doctor can prescribe muscle relaxers but they won’t be
able to treat the root of the problem, which is necessary for a long term
solution. As a family dentist we
routinely recommend having a custom mouth guard created. A large cause of TMJ is the jaw locking or
teeth grinding at night. This can even
cause the jaw to slip out of place. A
customized mouth guard will prevent jaw lock and the top and bottom teeth from
touching each other. This simple
treatment can make the difference between waking up in agony or being able to
go through your day with minimal pain.
Patients may also benefit
from teeth straightening like Invisalign but extreme measures like surgery must
be weighed with caution and explored as a last result only. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms
your first stop needs to be our family dentist office. We will give you a thorough examination,
determine the root cause, and provide treatment solutions. Contact us today to schedule your dental
examination and step onto the road of recovery.
