A Closer Look at TMJ Disorders-All You Need to Know

A Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder is a condition that’s resulted from inflammation or injury to your joint nerves and muscles. The joint connects your jawbone to your skull.

The damage leads to acute pain while chewing, crackling, and clicking of your jaw. Migraines, facial swelling, headache, and tooth grinding may occur. If the issue is severe, your joint may dislocate.
Causes of TMJ Disorder

Various factors lead to your muscle dysfunction or tightness. TMJ disorder may be caused by:

• Prolonged stress
• Misalignment of your teeth or jaw bone
• Teeth clenching
• Arthritis
• Poor posture
• Gum chewing

TMJ Symptoms

You may experience jaw joint pain that’s transferred to your forehead, ear, and neck. Some of the signs related to your joint dysfunction include:

• Jaw dislocation
• Swelling on your temple
• Stiff neck muscles
• Migraines
• Popping sound in your ears
• Pain on your jaw joint and difficulty in chewing
• Tingling and facial pain

Risk Factors Related to TMJ Disorder

Some of the risk factors for TMJ syndrome include:

• Abnormal jaw muscle functioning and poor posture
• Jaw clenching and muscle stress
• chronic inflammations on your jaw bone or arthritis
• In case you have jaw trauma.
• You have increased pain sensitivity.
• Connective tissue infections may lead to TMJ disorders.

TMJ Disorder Diagnosis

Our dentists at Pearland, TX, diagnose TMD based on your medical history. They examine you to find any related symptoms and any underlying issues. We also perform imaging to check on the condition of the cartilage of your jaw joints.

We evaluate the causes of your neck pain, swollen lymph nodes, and the condition of your orthodontic braces.
How We Treat TMJ Disorders

Home-based treatments can help alleviate stress and allow muscle relaxation. Our specialists recommend the following remedies:

• Hot and cold sensation around the joint
• Use of anti-inflammatory medication and pain relievers
• Intake of soft foods
• Ensure you massage the jaw muscles by the use of recommended stretchers
• Use sedatives to relief pain and TMJ discomfort

Sometimes home remedies may not be effective, and you need to visit a medical practitioner near you. Below are some of the approaches used by Pearland, TX dentists:

• Physical therapy on your jaw to strengthen and improve motion
• Use of dental splint appliances to align your teeth and prevent teeth grinding
• Preforming cognitive behavior therapy to manage your pain
• Insertion of needles on your swollen part to relieve pain
• Performance of dental surgery if your condition is severe. Your joint can be replaced
• Use of non-invasive arthroscopy, where you recover in a week

In some instances, our dentist at Pearland, Texas, may recommend some readjustment or reshape on some of your teeth to correct uneven bites. Suitable therapy and Orthodontic treatment are applicable.

You can seek medical attention if you experience persistent pain on your jaw, or if there’s dysfunction. Your TMJ specialist will give you the right treatment procedure you need to follow.

How to Prevent TMJ Disorders

TMJ syndrome may recur based on your lifestyle and joint stress. You can use home-based care to prevent the disorder. Below are various practices you need to observe:

• Eat soft foods that don’t cause pressure on your affected jaw joint.
• Avoid chewing gum
• Uphold the right posture to manage pain
• Ensure you avoid stress on your jaw and utilize relaxation techniques
• Use a dental splint that is approved by your dentist, to prevent clenching of your teeth
• Using guards to prevent jaw dislocations and fractures while you engage in exercises or rigorous activities

TMJ Treatment at Pearland, TX

Our specialists at Aqua Dental evaluate the underlying TMJ disorder and find the best treatment approach. We provide you with various TMJ disorder treatments. If you experience teeth grinding due to the syndrome, we use dental splints to align your teeth as you sleep.

The appliance is used at night to minimize stress on the jaw joint since you can’t control it. The guard is removable, and it’s designed to fit your teeth perfectly. The chances of damage are avoided during sleep.

If your TMJ disorder or teeth grinding is attributed to misalignment, our Pearland dentist 77584 recommends you to undertake an adjustment. The procedure will alleviate the uneven bites and align your teeth properly.

If you are facing a TMJ disorder, you can make an appointment with us, and we’ll scale out a treatment plan for you.