TMJ Treatment
We Can Help Relieve the Pain of TMJ!
Don’t suffer from the painful symptoms of TMJ! A simple dental device may be all you need to relieve the pain and get on with your life!
Serving the Round Rock, TX community
When you wake up in the morning, do you experience a sore jaw or headache? Has your partner taken to sleeping on the sofa because of loud snoring, clicking, or popping sounds while you sleep? If so, you may be grinding your teeth and dealing with the symptoms of TMJ disorder or TMD.
In some cases, these symptoms can be so severe that they severely diminish your quality of life. But like many patients who visit our Round Rock dental office to talk about their symptoms, you may not be aware that the symptoms of TMJ can often be treated by a qualified dental professional.
People use the terms TMJ and TMD without distinction, but they are two different things:
Your TMJ (jaw joints) controls the up and down and side to side movement of your jaw, and are one of the most continually used joints in the facial region. They function both as a hinge joint and a gliding joint and allow proper function by working together with the ligaments, cartilage, muscles, and your jaw bone.
Just like any other joint, however, the TMJ becomes fatigued when it’s overworked, especially when it’s not functioning correctly, to begin with. Since the joint doesn’t get much chance to rest and recover, this overuse causes the painful symptoms that we call TMD.
Dr. Zavala and Dr. Lewcock diagnose TMD by performing a comprehensive evaluation. They will check the jaw joints and surrounding muscles for symptoms like:
Our doctors will evaluate your bite to collect information about the balance between your jaw joint and the way your teeth come into contact with each other. In some cases, we may also recommend specialized X-rays as needed and review your complete medical history in.
People who suffer from TMD experience a number of annoying and painful symptoms, such as headaches and neck or shoulder pain. Other indications of TMJ include joint noise like clicking or popping, when you’re moving your jaw. Another common symptom is teeth grinding or bruxism.
When TMD occurs, the excessive force that’s placed on your jaw joint by teeth grinding can cause erosion and wearing of dental enamel that creates uneven surfaces on the teeth. These uneven surfaces, in turn, create an unbalanced bite that puts even more stress on the temporomandibular joint.
At Old Settler’s Dental, our doctors will work with you to diagnose the problem and recommend suitable treatment. We can create a removable night guard (or splint) that will help move your jaw into the proper position. In most cases, treatment relieves symptoms and promotes healing of the joint.
TMD is a complex disorder, and it is often difficult to pinpoint the exact problem. So, in most cases, TMJ problems are often managed rather than cured.
Here are a few approaches that we recommend to our patients to help them find relief:
Non-drug therapies often involve:
At Old Settler’s Dental, we tend to take the approach that “less is often best” when managing TMD.
If your pain is the result of teeth grinding or clenching, our doctors can fit you with a customized, FDA-approved device that sits comfortably over your front teeth. It works by balancing your dental bite and relieving the pressure on your jaw joints so they can rest and recover.
You may also find relief by applying heat or ice packs to the area. TMJ pain that’s related to stress can also be managed by making some lifestyle changes:
One of the causes of TMJ pain is teeth grinding or clenching. While stress is a common cause of teeth grinding, it may also be the result of an unbalanced dental bite where your teeth don’t correctly meet when you close your jaw.
Grinding your teeth can occur anytime, especially in stressful situations. However, many people grind their teeth while they sleep without realizing that they’re doing it. The first sign that you’re grinding your teeth is often pain in the jaw joint, headaches, or sensitive teeth upon waking.
There are so many options for addressing TMJ pain, that no one needs to endure the frustrating, painful symptoms of TMD. Dr. Zavala and Dr. Lewcock are dedicated to providing you with the most effective, up-to-date dental health solutions available. Call Old Settlers Dental to arrange a consultation, and we’ll pinpoint the cause of your symptoms and develop an appropriate course of treatment.