Have you been suffering from what you think may be jaw pain? At Excellent Dental Specialists, our team of doctors know all there is to know about your TMJ, from what could be causing you pain to how to treat it so that the pain goes away.
Your TMJ is your temporomandibular joint. This is the joint that fuses the upper portion of your jaw that is connected to your skull, to the lower portion of the jaw. This joint is used for speaking, chewing, and nearly every motion your mouth makes. It is under a great deal of pressure on a daily basis and can become inflamed due to a wide variety of problems. If you end up with a disorder of the TMJ, it can be something you may have to deal with for the rest of your life.
Because of how much your TMJ is used, it can become inflamed relatively easily. You could chew your food and it could hurt, or you could even be speaking and feel the problems start. Typically, people with TMJ disorders note a clicking in their jaw when their pain starts up, along with a locking feeling in the joint itself. There are other symptoms that can come along with this type of disorder, including:
| • | Migraine headaches |
| • | Pain in the jaw itself, even radiating down towards the front teeth |
| • | A popping feeling when the joint is used |
| • | Severely tender jaw muscles |
| • | Sudden misalignment of the upper and the lower jaw |
This pain could be coming from how you use the joint, or even from how you sleep. However, these symptoms often do not last long. If you get to where you are diagnosed with a TMJ disorder, the symptoms are regular and can even affect your quality of life.
Bruxism can cause this type of pain as well. Grinding and clenching your teeth can put a lot of pressure not only on the teeth but also the jaw joint and muscles themselves. If you notice that you regularly clench your teeth or that you wake up with sore teeth and jaw muscles, this could be the cause and should be talked about when you come in to see us.
There are many treatments that can help pain with your TMJ. The most common include:
| • | Wearing an oral appliance to stop your clenching |
| • | Reducing your stress |
| • | Meditating to relax your muscles |
| • | Medications to relax the muscles |
| • | When all else fails, jaw surgery may be required |
Contact us, we will set up a time for you to be examined and help you find relief. You don’t have to live in pain, but it takes special know-how to treat problems of the TMJ.
Excel Dental and Implant Center
4450 Lockhill-Selma Rd.
Suite 101, San Antonio, TX 78249
New Braunfels, TX
1583 East Common Street, Suite 200
New Braunfels, TX 78130
