TMJ
Do you suffer or do you know someone who suffers from pain around the ears, tenderness in the jaw, limited or painful jaw popping, clicking, popping or sandy noises on opening the mouth, head aches or neck aches? If so, you are one of the more than fifteen percent of American adults who suffer from chronic facial pain possibly caused by a TMJ Disorder. Your teeth are just the visible endpoint of a complex system of relationships between bones, muscles, ligaments, nerves and blood vessels. That’s why many of the above can be treated by a dentist.
Most headache or facial pain sufferers are on a medical merry-go-round in their quest for pain relief. Because symptoms of TMJ (jaw joint problems) and associated craniofacial pain syndrome can masquerade as so many other conditions, it is often difficult to diagnose. Your headache, ear or facial pain could be generated by your jaw joints, bite and spasm in the associated facial musculature. A team approach and open communication with physicians and other health care professionals bring effective “team management” to the patient.
Our office goal is to determine the proper diagnosis and offer appropriate treatment to combat the head, neck and facial pain effectively and successfully. First the focus is no addressing the pain, second, to regain full function and third to stabilize the patient.
What is TMJ Disorder?
A TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint) disorder is simply a disruption in the action of the jaw, usually accompanied by pain. Two joints, several jaw muscles and ligaments allow you to open and close your mouth. They work together when you chew, speak, swallow and breathe. Your TMJ is the most flexible, yet sophisticated joint in the human body. If this joint and associated structures are atypical, it can lead to dysfunction and chronic discomfort. Any problem that prevents this complex system of muscles, ligaments, discs and bones from working together properly may result in a TMJ disorder affecting the structures of chewing, swallowing, breathing and speech.
Symptoms
TMJ symptoms and signs may include any of the following:
Headaches
Click, pop or grating sound in the jaw joints
Limited jaw opening or locking
Earaches, congestion or ringing ears
Dizziness
Pain when chewing
Facial pain
Neck pain or stiffness and/or throat pain
State-of-the Art Diagnosis
At Contemporary Family Dentistry, one of our areas of expertise is in the diagnosis and treatment of TMJ disorders. To determine if dental stress is the source of your pain, we will examine your teeth, muscles and jaw joints. To clearly understand the mechanics of your jaw and help identify the source of the pain, we will gather data through appropriate x-rays and precise imaging scans using state-of-the-art 3-D i-CAT imaging systems, Joint Vibration Analysis (JVA), Electromyography (EMG) and Acoustic Reflection technology.
Effective Personalized Treatment
Patients benefit from the non-surgical, conservative treatment this office provides. In most cases, non-drug treatment is suggested, including a custom-fit oral device – a splint (or orthotic) made of clear acrylic. This easy-to-wear splint fits over the top or bottom teeth. Its main purpose is to eliminate muscle spasm and pain which occurs with bite imbalance. The splint also stabilizes the TM joints.
Medication, physical modality therapy, stress management and/or referral to other health care providers are utilized on an as needed basis. Acute headaches and pain can be immediately relieved many times with trigger point of ligament injections. Once pain is controlled and the jaw joint is stabilized, the bite is balanced so the teeth, muscles and joints all work together in harmony – without strain or pain. Our office believes strongly in conservative, non-surgical care for TMJ treatment!