TMJ Therapy – Denton, TX
Relieving Jaw Pain
Do you feel consistent pain in your jaw? If you said yes, you’re not alone. At any given time, it is estimated that 12 percent of people in the United States have a TMJ disorder. That’s about 39 million people experiencing problems with their jaw joint. Are you one of them? Luckily, here at Denton Dental Center, we are equipped to help you overcome these problems. Dr. Todd Balington and our compassionate, experienced team can get you back to full health and function again.
What is TMJ disorder?
Dr. Todd Balington The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) connects your jaw to your skull, and you have one joint on each side of your jaw in front of your ear. Its motions back and forth, side to side, and up and down allow you to chew and talk efficiently. But this little joint can cause problems if something doesn’t work quite right with it. A TMJ disorder can lead to pain in this joint and in the muscles that help control jaw movement, making regular functions more difficult.
What are the symptoms of TMJ disorder?
Some of the symptoms of TMJ disorder are clearer than others. These symptoms include the following:
- Pain or tenderness in the jaw.
- Pain in one or both of the joints.
- Pain in or around the ear.
- A clicking sound when you move your jaw.
- Difficulty or pain while chewing.
- Facial pain.
- Difficulty opening or closing your mouth because the joint locks.
If you hear a clicking sound when you move your jaw but do not experience any pain, you probably don’t need to seek treatment.
What are the causes of TMJ disorder?
Although determining the exact causes of TMJ disorder in each case can often be difficult, several things may contribute or lead to TMJ disorder, including:
- Physical injury.
- Clenching or grinding your teeth, particularly during sleep (called bruxism).
- Autoimmune diseases.
- Dental surgery.
How do you treat TMJ disorder?
Most of the time, pain and discomfort in the TMJ is temporary and can be relieved through conservative methods, often at home on your own. Making simple lifestyle and self-care changes, such as the following may be enough to address your symptoms:
- Avoiding chewing gum.
- Eating softer foods.
- Avoiding clenching your jaw.
- Applying ice or moist heat.
If symptoms persist after a couple of months, make an appointment with us. Dr. Balington can evaluate your bite and talk to you about your symptoms and get you the help you need to relieve your pain. For example, if your TMJ disorder is caused by grinding your teeth while you sleep, we can provide a mouth guard that prevents this from happening and causing damage to your teeth and jaw. It may be a matter of correcting your bite alignment, which we can treat through occlusal adjustment.
At Denton Dental Center, we’re committed to improving the oral health of our patients. You don’t have to suffer if your jaw is causing you pain. We look forward to helping you manage your TMJ disorder and easing your discomfort. Contact us for an appointment today!