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We Diagnose and Treat TMJ If you have TMJ, it can disrupt your life by causing pain that makes it difficult to chew healthy foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables. You may also experience excruciating headaches or earaches that make it impossible to go to work or attend school. The good news: our dentists specialize in diagnosing and treating TMJ, helping you improve your daily life while preventing additional damage to your teeth.
Treatments for TMJ There are several treatments available for TMJ, and we may recommend more than one of these treatments to help you feel better. These include: • Radio wave therapy – low-level electrical stimulation of the jaw’s joints • Trigger point injection – injecting anesthetics into the jaw’s joints • Night guards – customized plastic devices for the upper and lower teeth
Are You Experiencing Pain from TMJ? Temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ) is a condition that primarily affects adult females, but children, teenagers and men can also have this painful problem. This condition occurs in one or both jaw joints, leading to recurring or occasional discomfort along with other symptoms that might include:
• Frequent earaches • A runny nose • Clicking or popping sounds in your jaw’s joints • Chronic headaches • Abnormal wear on the surfaces of your teeth • Pain while chewing food • A jaw joint that locks • Muscle spasms in the face • Neck and shoulder pain • Sinus pressure These uncomfortable symptoms can occur at any time, but you may notice the problems more in the morning when you wake up.
What Causes Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction?
Experts are still trying to understand the various reasons why temporomandibular joint dysfunction occurs, and you might have more than one condition that leads to having this joint pain. Here are some causes for this problem in the jaw’s joints: − Arthritis that affects the facial bones − An old facial injury − Poor alignment of the teeth − Grinding your teeth − Clenching your teeth − Deterioration of the jaw’s joints − Genetic abnormalities of the face and jaw − Changes in your hormonal levels − Poor body posture − Obstructive sleep apnea
TMJ Can Damage Your Teeth It is possible to change some of your bad habits to reduce the pain from TMJ, but you should also see a dentist for an evaluation. When you have this problem in one or both sides of your face, it can lead to severe dental problems that will damage the surfaces of your teeth, leading to additional decay or cracked enamel. In addition, the constant abnormal pressure on your teeth can lead to having misaligned teeth.