When people suffer from chronic jaw pain and a popping or clicking sensation in their bite, this could mean TMJ disorder. Without treatment, this could be connected to bruxism (teeth grinding) and uncomfortable symptoms. In today’s blog, your Mansfield, TX, dentist talks about how to help ease jaw pain and headaches with TMJ therapy.
The Causes and Warning Signs of TMJ Disorder
What causes an issue like TMJ disorder to develop? This occurs when the joints that connect your jaw and skull undergo excess strain, leading to a disorder linked to poor balance, issues opening and closing your mouth, and a host of uncomfortable symptoms. This stress could be caused by factors like missing teeth, malocclusion brought on by misalignment, injury to the face or jaw, or even issues like wisdom tooth eruption. You could also develop this if there are issues with jawbone growth.
You may experience a popping or clicking sensation in your jaw, headaches and migraines, or even aches in the face or jaw. Some could experience soreness in the neck and shoulders. When you have persistent pain in and around your head, face, and jaw, then let us know. We can conduct a diagnosis to see if you need treatment for TMJ disorder.
A Link to Chronic Teeth Grinding
The pressure on your jaw joints could lead to bruxism, or chronic teeth grinding, and the reverse is true too. If you grind your teeth on a regular basis, this could wear down the teeth and even crack or chip them, leaving you vulnerable to tooth decay and infection, and eventually threatening the loss of a tooth. The symptoms are the same in many cases, and you may notice changes to your teeth or even tooth sensitivity or toothaches. Our team can often handle this with the same oral appliances we custom-make to take on TMJ disorder.
Oral Appliance Therapy
With an intraoral camera, we have a way to gather images of your bite from multiple angles quickly and comfortably. We can also assess the balance of your bite with digital technology. With this information, we can design and craft an oral appliance that you wear as you sleep. The device will look like a mouthguard, but once in place it gently repositions the jaw to ease the underlying stress and strain, helping you avoid TMJ-related symptoms. If you grind your teeth, this places a soft barrier between the upper and lower sets of teeth to prevent further injury.
If you have any questions about treating TMJ disorder, or if you want to see us now before the holidays arrive and your dental benefits expire for 2025, then contact our office today!
Our Team Provides General Dentistry
Our team wants to help you enjoy a smile free of discomfort and complications with TMJ therapy! To learn more about general dentistry, or schedule your appointment, call our Mansfield, TX, dental team today at 817-473-6227.
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