What is TMJ?
Your TMJ is your temporomandibular joint, and it connects your jawbone to the temporal bones in your skull. Your TMJ is a complex system that has both hinge-like and sliding mechanisms, enabling you to smoothly speak, talk, and yawn.
When you’re TMJ isn’t functioning properly, you’re said to have TMJ disorder (or TMD). This can make it difficult and/or painful to properly move your jaw, which impacts your ability to easily speak and eat.
TMJ disorders occur most often in people between 20-40 years of age and are seen more frequently in women than men.
What are the symptoms of TMJ disorder?
TMJ varies widely from patient to patient, but some of the more common symptoms include:
- Jaw pain and tenderness
- Headaches or migraines
- Pain or ringing in your ears
- Difficulty chewing
- Jaw locking, or difficulty opening or closing your mouth all the way
- Clicking, popping, or grating sounds when moving your jaw
- An awkward bite, as if your teeth don’t fit together properly
Some patients might experience only one or a few of these symptoms, while others might experience several. The intensity of the symptoms also varies widely.
What causes TMJ disorder?
TMJ disorder can have a variety of causes, including:
- Jaw trauma or dislocation
- Arthritis
- Bruxism, or teeth grinding
- Improperly aligned bite
Dr. Antonio examines your jaw and asks about your medical history during your consultation to get a better sense of what might be causing your TMJ disorder.
How is TMJ disorder treated?
Dr. Antonio first assesses and evaluates the root cause of your TMJ disorder. Once she has a better understanding of what’s causing your jaw pain, she creates an individualized treatment plan to help fix your condition.
If your symptoms are more mild and short-lived, Dr. Antonio starts your treatment with conservative methods. Some of the methods that Dr. Antonio might use to initially treat your TMJ disorder include:
- Eating soft foods
- Using ice packs
- Avoiding extreme jaw movement)
- Anti-inflammatory medications
- Botox® injections
- Stabilization support
For many patients, these conservative treatments are all they need to overcome their TMJ disorder. Other patients, however, might need more advanced procedures, like joint replacement surgery.
If you’re suffering from TMJ disorder, schedule an appointment with Personal Touch Dentistry online or by phone today.
