TMJ Disorder Relief

TMJD: Treatment for Jaw Discomfort and Pain

It’s often the issue behind the issue.

If you suffer from chronic facial and neck pain, recurring headaches, or frequent discomfort around your jawline, it may be caused by temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder, or TMJD.

This is a broad term covering pain or discomfort caused by injury or damage to your TMJ. In addition to general pain and discomfort, common telltale signs of TMJD include:

• A clicking or popping when you move your jaw.
• Stiff or sore jaw muscles.
• Pain in your ears or temple area.
• Swelling on the sides of your face.
• Muscle spasms in the jaw area.
• Locking of the jaw joint.

What causes TMJD?

Many of the root causes for TMJ damage are dental in nature. As part of the jaw, your teeth and TMJ work together as part of the same system.

• If your teeth are misaligned, regular chewing or teeth clenching can cause the joint to be repeatedly misaligned as well.
• If you grind your teeth while asleep (called bruxism), this puts excess pressure on the joint. It also wears down the teeth, which can cause misalignment and make the problem worse.

Learn more about how bruxism affects sleep.

How do you treat TMJ disorder?

Treatment at Harbor Point Dentistry involves three basic steps:

1. We assess the way you bite to see how your teeth function together (your occlusion).
2. We discuss with you the approach we think would work best to relieve your symptoms.
3. If appropriate, we may fabricate a custom appliance to protect your teeth and prevent the misaligned bite that leads to ongoing TMJD.

Occlusal guards, night guards and other sleep appliances are a common solution that accomplish more than TMJD relief. They also save you money!

If you have needed frequent, costly replacements of fillings or crowns due to heavy grinding, it is far more cost-effective to treat the root cause and prevent that grinding!

TMJ Disorder Relief at Harbor Point Dentistry

If you are unsure whether you have TMJD, schedule a consultation with us. We have relieved jaw-related pain and discomfort for many, and look forward to doing the same for you!

Make your appointment with us today!