Jaw Pain Is Not Normal.
If you experience jaw pain regularly, you might consider it normal. However, jaw pain is not normal and could indicate a condition known as Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMD), affecting one or both of your TMJs, which are the joints of your lower jaw. Disease or misalignment can lead to inflammation in the TMJ and surrounding area, resulting in pain and other symptoms.
Signs of TMD include:
- Headaches
- Earaches or tenderness around the ear
- Face or jaw pain and tenderness
- Muscle pain in the neck, shoulders, and upper back
- Ringing in the ears
- Clicking, popping, or grinding in the jaw
- Difficulty chewing, yawning, or opening your mouth
How Do We Diagnose And Treat TMJ Disorder?
Diagnosis
Treating TMD typically starts with a thorough clinical examination to assess your face, jaw, bite, joints, and teeth. During this examination, we will look for signs of pain and tenderness and listen for clicking or popping sounds when you move your jaw, swallow, or chew. If TMD is confirmed, the initial treatment often involves using a bite splint or night guard.
Treatment and Relief
Our treatment approach includes using bite splints, which are custom-made plastic mouthpieces that fit over your upper and/or lower teeth. These devices are designed to prevent grinding and clenching, which can often contribute to or exacerbate TMD symptoms. Additionally, the splint helps realign the jaw, reducing stress on the surrounding area.
Alternative Treatment Options
If your symptoms are caused by a misaligned bite or missing teeth, we may recommend orthodontic treatment or restorative dental work. In cases where your bite is exerting excessive pressure on the TMJs, we may suggest reshaping individual teeth to distribute the bite force more evenly.
Contact us today
to schedule an initial consultation & exam.
Your consultation will include an examination of everything from your teeth, gums and soft tissues to the shape and condition of your bite. Generally, we want to see how your whole mouth looks and functions. Before we plan your treatment we want to know everything about the health and aesthetic of your smile, and, most importantly, what you want to achieve so we can help you get there.
Frequently Asked Questions
TMJ stands for Temporomandibular Joint. If this joint becomes misaligned or inflamed we refer to that as Temporomandibular Joint Disorder or TMD for short.
Signs and symptoms of TMD include pain and tenderness in or around the ear, the jaw joint, or the muscles of the jaw, face, or temples. Other symptoms include difficulty opening or closing your mouth, as well as clicking, popping, crunching, or grinding noises when you chew, yawn, or open your mouth. TMDs may also be associated with neck pain and headaches.
TMD is caused by a combination of factors like jaw injuries and joint disease, such as arthritis. It’s believed that bruxism (tooth clenching or grinding) and head or neck muscle tension may make TMD symptoms worse. Stress is also a possible factor. However, it is not clear if stress causes TMD or is a result. Other things that may lead to TMDs are partial or full dentures that are not the right fit and certain habits such as fingernail biting and pen or pencil biting. As you can see, there are an array of different causes which makes TMD hard to diagnose. The best way to understand your jaw pain symptoms are to book an appointment.
There are many possible causes of headaches. No doctor will be able to determine the cause of your headache without a physical examination.
In many cases, TMJ pain can be effectively treated with non-invasive therapies. Surgery is rarely necessary for TMD. Your health and well-being are our top priorities. We will thoroughly discuss all treatment options with you, starting with the safest and simplest approaches, and ultimately respect your decision on the next steps.
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