The health and alignment of your jaw can make a huge impact on your quality of life and overall oral wellness. When the jaw joint is not properly aligned or has been injured patients may experience painful, sometimes debilitating symptoms.
The temporomandibular joint connects the jaw to the base of the skull. The jaw functions to allow a patient to chew and speak comfortably and effectively. When the jaw joint becomes misaligned or suffers a trauma, the delicate system of muscles, tendons, and nerves can become hypersensitive.
The condition in which patients experience chronic orofacial pain is commonly known as TMD or TMJ. TMJ has no one specific cause or solution. Diagnosing and treating TMJ requires a highly trained dentist with the knowledge and experience to discover the underlying cause of the bite dysfunction.
Patients with TMJ may experience:
- Jaw pain
- Orofacial pain
- Popping or clicking of the jaw
- Sensitivity in the teeth
- Headaches
- Difficulty chewing
Treatment for TMJ will begin with a thorough oral health examination and bite analysis. Your Palmetto Smiles dentist will evaluate the alignment and function of your jaw and teeth. Through this process, your dentist will determine the cause of the jaw pain in order to help build a treatment plan that will support long-term results and pain relief.
Common causes of TMJ include:
- Crooked teeth
- Trauma to the joint
- Teeth grinding or bruxism
- Malocclusion
Treatment options for TMJ will depend on the underlying functional cause of the disorder. For some patients, a night guard or splint therapy will alleviate their discomfort while others may benefit from a combination of restorative therapies. If teeth have become worn or damaged, appropriate treatments to restore their shape and maintain structural integrity will be recommended.
Palmetto Smiles in Florence offers custom night guards for teeth grinding. Oral sleep devices help patients who grind their teeth or clench their jaw in their sleep stop the painful habit. The device is fabricated to comfortably fit your mouth like a sports mouthguard and is worn while sleeping or during times of stress.