Royal Oak and Birmingham, MI
Are you familiar with temporomandibular joint disorder? Also commonly referred to as TMJ disorder, this occurs when there’s some sort of dysfunction with your temporomandibular joint, which connects your jaw to your skull on either side of your head. Living with this disorder often leads to chronic pain. It also can affect the alignment of your bite and jaws, but did you know that untreated TMJ disorder also can impact your sleep? Today on the blog, we explore how TMJ disorder can improve the quality of your sleep as well as your overall health.
Living with untreated TMJ disorder can cause systemic problems
The symptoms of TMJ disorder can cause issues throughout your body. For example, pain emanating from your jaws can start to radiate to other areas, including the head, face, neck, and shoulders. This pain can make it difficult to relax and fall asleep, as certain sleeping positions affect the alignment of the head and neck and can exacerbate existing pain from your TMJ disorder. If you sleep on your stomach or your side, this may be restful but is going to exacerbate your condition, making all your symptoms worsen with time.
Try sleeping on your back if you have TMJ disorder
There are several benefits to sleeping in this position to help manage your disorder. Sleeping on your back exerts less pressure on the jaw joints, and more support for your head, neck, and shoulders. It also reduces the likelihood you’ll grind your teeth or clench your jaw while asleep. If sleeping on your back isn’t natural or comfortable, try placing a small pillow under the arch of your back. A good mattress topper might be a smart addition as well; many of these toppers adjust to the contours of your body and help you adjust to sleeping on your back.
Treating TMJ disorder in Royal Oak and Birmingham in Michigan
TMJ disorder is one of the greatest diagnostic challenges in medical science because the symptoms can vary so widely from person to person. In truth, no two cases of TMJ disorder are the same. Your best resource for relief for TMJ disorder is a practitioner with training and experience in neuromuscular dentistry, a specialized area of dental science that focuses on the alignment of the bite and jaw. Dr. Nancy Hartrick is proud to offer neuromuscular dentistry services to her patients at Hartrick Dentistry. If you or someone you love has TMJ disorder or is showing signs of this ailment, she can help through a course of oral appliance therapy, which entails wearing a customized mouthpiece to bring forward the lower jaw and restore the ideal alignment of the jaws—alleviating the stress on the temporomandibular joint that is causing the dysfunction.
Seek help for your TMJ disorder in Royal Oak and Birmingham in Michigan
Stop living with the pain, the lost sleep and all the other consequences that come from untreated TMJ disorder. Treatment through neuromuscular dentistry can provide the lasting relief and quality sleep that you need. Make your appointment at Hartrick Dentistry today by calling (248) 549-0950.