TMJ Treatment
Do you have pain in your jaw, especially in the morning or late afternoon? Does your jaw click or pop when you talk or chew? You may have a TMD/TMJ disorder and could benefit from TMJ treatment.
Many people use TMD and TMJ interchangeably, but the two describe different terms. TMJ is the joint, and TMD is the disorder.
TMJ is short for temporomandibular joint, which is where the lower jaw attaches to your skull. The TMJ is a ball-and-socket joint in that a small ball-shaped bump on your jaw fits into a socket in your skull, near your ear. This configuration allows your lower jaw to move in nearly every direction so that you can bite, chew, talk, yawn and more without pain.
Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are conditions that affect the temporomandibular joint.
Symptoms of TMJ disorders include:
TMD and the symptoms it causes can negatively affect your quality of life. Pain may prevent you from eating normally, for example, and this can lead to unwanted weight loss, nutritional deficiencies, and feeling hungry all of the time. TMD/TMJ headache and pain may make it hard to sleep at night, so you wake up feeling tired and grumpy.
Excessive strain on the jaw joint and the muscles that support can cause TMD. Injury, immobility, tumors, or a deformity can cause strain that leads to the development of TMD. Clenching or grinding your teeth, a behavior known as bruxism, can also trigger symptoms of TMD. Misaligned teeth can cause strain as well. Arthritis and displacement of the rubbery discs that protect the jaw are also common causes of TMD.
It is important to determine the underlying cause or causes of TMD so that the problem does not return once you get receive TMJ treatment. Our team of dental professionals at Grove City Smiles can help you figure out what causes your TMD. We can also suggest a treatment plan to address your TMD and its underlying causes.
TMJ treatment focuses on restoring the healthy function of your jaw and eliminating the symptoms of a TMJ problem. Our Grove City Smiles TMD/TMJ specialist always tries to take a conservative, non-surgical approach first. If you need advanced care, though, you will be glad to know that our surgical team has the expertise and experience to perform complex surgical treatment plans.
Wearing a night guard can prevent teeth grinding and clenching. Night guards also help relax your jaw by reducing pressure on your back teeth.
Grove City Smiles offers Invisalign® teeth straightening. Invisalign uses a series of comfortable plastic trays that gently move teeth into the desired position.
The Urbanek TMJ Splint is a medical device that helps reduce inflammation in the temporomandibular joint. You’ll wear this custom-made acrylic appliance over your teeth to prevent grinding and clenching, and to keep your jaw and teeth in proper alignment. The splint is comfortable to wear and has a 95 percent success rate and FDA clearance.
Surgical intervention corrects the position of your upper or lower jawbone to bring your teeth back into alignment.
Repairing the TMJ, or replacing the joint with a custom-fitted implant, can restore function.
TMJ treatment can improve your quality of life by:
More than 70 million people in the United States have temporomandibular disorders. If you are one of them, we can help!
Left untreated, TMDs can lead to other serious health conditions. Prioritize your well-being by making an appointment with Grove City Smiles today. We offer a wide variety of treatments to help you regain the comfortable function of your jaw and improve your quality of life.
We look forward to meeting you. Call (614) 350-5300 or request an appointment online to set up your first visit. We’ll be in touch soon.
