Royal Oak and Birmingham, MI
Do you know where your temporomandibular joint is? This is a small round joint that connects your jaw to your skull on either side of the head. That joint may be small but if it enters a state of dysfunction it can cause some big problems, up to and including chronic pain. TMJ disorder represents a diagnostic challenge for medical professionals, so you can imagine the confusion it can cause from the people suffering from the condition. That’s why Hartrick Dentistry compiled this list of answers to some of the questions we receive most frequently about TMJ disorder from people just like you.
What causes TMJ disorder?
Frequently reported causes of TMJ disorder include:
- An injury—usually sustained to the jaw, the head, the neck, or the temporomandibular joint itself;
- Bruxism, which is the clinical term for teeth grinding or clenching;
- Arthritis, emanating from the temporomandibular joint;
- Dislocating the disc between the ball and socket of the temporomandibular joint; and
- Stress, which causes you to tighten the muscles of your face and jaw or clench your teeth.
What are the symptoms of TMJ disorder?
The exact symptoms of TMJ disorder can vary widely but patients with this ailment regularly report any combination of the following:
- Pain in the face, teeth, mouth, neck, shoulders or jaw
- A clicking or popping sound when the jaws open and close
- Experiencing a locked jaw or limited range of motion in the jaws
- Having problems chewing
- Malocclusion, which also is known as a misaligned bite
- Ringing, stuffiness, or congestion in the ears
Patients with TMJ disorder often experience frequent and painful headaches, which may be misdiagnosed as migraines. These headaches may feel like migraines or be of migraine-like intensity, but they do not respond as well to normal migraine treatments. If you have been diagnosed with migraines but treatment has not provided relief, then TMJ disorder could be the root cause of your headaches.
How does a dentist treat TMJ disorder?
Dr. Nancy Hartrick is trained in neuromuscular dentistry, a specialization of the dental field that only is taught on a post-graduate level following the completion of normal dental school. This training focuses on finding and restoring the ideal alignment of the bite and jaw. Typically, Hartrick Dentistry can treat TMJ disorder through oral appliance therapy. Using impressions of your mouth as a guide, we have an orthotic mouthpiece fabricated. When worn, the oral appliance serves as a mandibular advancement device. It applies gentle forward pressure, guiding your jaws into their preferred alignment and resolving the stress being placed on the temporomandibular joint. Once the TMJ has been treated, any symptoms you are experiencing—including pain—also will be resolved.
TMJ Treatment in Royal Oak ad Birmingham in Michigan
Make no mistake: if you or someone you love has TMJ disorder, seeing a trained medical professional like Dr. Hartrick is the only way to obtain lasting relief. Waiting to see if the problem just will go away on its own only encourages the development of greater problems related to your TMJ disorder, such as pain in the neck and back or numbness in extremities. Schedule an appointment at our office in Royal Oak by calling (248) 549-0950.