Care to Ease Your Discomfort?
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.
What is your TMJ?
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.
What could be causing your TMJ pain?
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
How is TMJ pain treated?
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
