Do you suffer from tenderness in the jaw muscles or jaw joint, limited jaw opening, jaws that get stuck, unexplained facial or head pain, joint grating or clicking? Chances are you may be one of the sixty million Americans who have a condition called temporomandibular joint disorder. In spite of the fancy name, TMD is nothing to panic about. In most cases it can be diagnosed and treated in the dental office.
Restoring your jaw's harmony may require several kinds of treatment to reduce muscle tension, regain a stable bite, or rest and heal your jaw joint.
Jaw joint (or temporomandibular joint) problems develop for many reasons:
• Clenching and grinding teeth tightens jaw muscles.
• A bad bite caused by incorrect jaw growth may have misaligned your jaw joint.
• A blow or injury to the face or jaw can easily displace or dislocate your jaw joint.
• Other causes of TMJ disorder include worn, loose, or missing teeth, gum problems, poorly fitting dentures, oral habits like pen and pencil biting, nail biting, gum chewing, and sometimes even erupting wisdom teeth.
If you think you may have signs of jaw joint trouble … relax! Thousands of patients with TMD have been diagnosed and treated successfully, with excellent results. The first step is to bring signs and symptoms to our attention during your next visit. We can help you!!!
