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Occlusion and Jaw (TMD)
If you are having headaches, clenching, grinding, jaw-joint pain, and fatigue, it could be caused by an imperfect bite. This condition has a name – TMD – temporomandibular joint dysfunction. We can get rid of or reduce the symptoms – it could be as simple as a slight adjustment to your bite, use of a ‘night guard’, or even using orthodontic therapy.
What Is TMJ?
Teeth grinding and jaw pain may cause inflammation and other jaw complications. Address the symptoms of TMJ with treatment in our dental office. Are you constantly tired during the day? Do you wake up with headaches? An extra cup of morning java is not the answer. You could be suffering the effects of teeth grinding. We all have a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) on either side of our jaw. It is the hinge joint that connects our lower jaw to the skull and aids in speaking, chewing, and yawning. When you suffer from teeth grinding or jaw pain, the jaw muscles receive an unnatural amount of force that can cause inflammation of the TMJ and, in turn, cause many other health problems besides jaw pain.
You should seek treatment for TMJ if you suffer from any of the following symptoms:
- Headaches, neck aches or chronic migraines
- Dizziness
- Pain or tenderness in the face, jaw, neck, shoulders
- Pain or tenderness around your ear when speaking
- Jaw gets stuck “open” or “closed”
- Clicking or popping when opening or closing the mouth
- Unable to open the mouth widely
- Earaches or hearing problems
TMJ Treatment
We do not know exactly what causes TMJ but factors that have been found to influence TMJ pain is clenching, teeth grinding/bruxism, trauma, and arthritis. Sometimes TMJ pain can go away on its own after the jaw has time to rest and the muscles relax. Our experts can treat TMJ disorder in a variety of ways, including something as simple as a change in lifestyle habits or taking an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory. Our experts might suggest an occlusal adjustment to reduce the force on your teeth and jaw.
An occlusal adjustment is a simple procedure of marking the biting surfaces of your teeth and smoothing off any areas that are hitting in an unnatural way when you bring your teeth together. This reduction of force on your teeth and jaw can mean all the difference regarding the pain of TMJ.
Schedule an appointment with our team if you suffer from TMJ pain.