If you wake up with headaches or have jaw pain when you bite and chew, you may have a TMJ disorder. The temporomandibular joints (TMJ) are the joints on either side of the face. Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD) occur from stress or damage to these joints. At Cornerstone Family Dentistry, we provide TMJ treatment in Garland, TX.
TMJ treatment is part of our restorative dental services. The (TMJ) plays a crucial role in how your jaw moves, and when it’s not working correctly, it can cause discomfort, pain, and even difficulty with eating, talking, or yawning. By addressing issues with your teeth and jaw through TMJ treatment, we can help you achieve a more balanced and comfortable bite.
Signs of TMJ Disorders
Common symptoms of TMD can include:
- Jaw pain or soreness
- Teeth clenching and grinding (bruxism)
- Tooth wear
- Pain when eating hard and crunchy foods
- Headaches and migraines
- Ear pain
Stress on the TMJ can lead to teeth grinding because stress often causes tension in the jaw muscles. When you’re stressed or anxious, your body may respond by clenching your jaw tightly without you even realizing. This constant clenching puts pressure on the TMJ, and over time, it can lead to grinding your teeth, especially at night while you sleep.
You may also clench your teeth or jaw when stressed during the day. Constant stress on the TMJ can lead to headaches, pain when eating hard or crunchy foods, and facial pain.
Pain from the TMJ can radiate throughout the face. For this reason, many patients can experience ear pain and migraines if they have TMD.
TMJ Treatment in Garland, TX
Before TMJ treatment, you will visit our office for a consultation. Our dentist will ask about your symptoms, such as jaw pain, clicking sounds, or headaches. He will also want to know if you’ve noticed any teeth grinding or difficulty opening your mouth.
Next, he will check how your jaw moves by having you open and close your mouth. He might feel the joints on either side of your face to see if there are any unusual sounds or movements, like popping or grinding. Our dentist may press on areas around your jaw to check for tenderness or pain.
Sometimes, Dr. Giang will take X-rays or scans to examine your jaw joint and teeth more closely. This helps him understand what might be causing the problem. The goal of the consultation is to determine how to relieve your pain and help your jaw move more comfortably.
Custom Mouthguard
Clenching and grinding your teeth at night can have serious consequences over time. Your teeth will weaken and could eventually break, to say nothing of the headaches and jaw pain you could experience regularly. Luckily, there’s a simple way to protect yourself from the effects of bruxism: wearing a nightguard.
A custom-made nightguard may look similar to a sports mouthguard but uses hard acrylic material. You can get a TMJ nightguard in just two office visits. At your first visit, we will take dental impressions of your teeth.
Based on your impressions, a lab will create a custom nightguard designed specifically for your teeth and bite. Once the nightguard is ready, you’ll try it on in our office.
Dr. Giang will ensure it fits comfortably and make adjustments if needed. He will also provide instructions on how to clean and care for your nightguard.
Bite Correction
Also known as bite equilibration, bite correction for TMJ disorders is a way to fix how your teeth come together when you bite. An uneven bite can sometimes put extra pressure on the jaw joints, causing pain or discomfort.
We can adjust how your teeth fit by smoothing out certain areas or adding dental treatments like dental crowns or Invisalign. We may recommend crowns if you have uneven areas of tooth wear or damaged teeth. Crowns are caps that fully cover teeth. They add structure to worn teeth and protect injured teeth.
Invisalign clear aligners can help treat crooked teeth. Uneven pressure on the teeth puts stress on the TMJ.
Creating an even bite reduces joint stress and eases TMJ symptoms like headaches or jaw pain. Bite correction can make chewing and talking feel more comfortable.
Physical Therapy
When you go to physical therapy for TMJ, the therapist helps you relieve jaw pain and improve how your jaw moves. They might teach you special exercises to stretch and strengthen the muscles around your jaw. These exercises can help reduce stiffness, pain, and popping sounds when you open or close your mouth.
The therapist may also use massages or other treatments, such as heat or cold therapy, to relax tight muscles and ease discomfort. Physical therapy can help make eating, talking, and smiling more comfortable.
What Lifestyle Changes Help Treat TMD?
Making lifestyle changes can help treat TMJ disorders by reducing jaw pain and improving how it works. Some simple adjustments in your daily habits can make a big difference:
Posture
Slouching or sitting in awkward positions can put extra pressure on your neck and jaw, which may worsen TMJ symptoms. Try to sit or stand up straight, keeping your shoulders relaxed and your head aligned with your spine. If you spend a lot of time looking at screens, be mindful of how you’re sitting and adjust your chair or screen height to avoid straining your neck and jaw.
Diet
Your diet can also help ease TMJ pain. Eating softer foods reduces the pressure you put on your jaw while chewing. Avoid hard or chewy foods like gum, raw vegetables, and tough meats, which can strain your jaw muscles. Sticking to a diet with softer options, like soups, smoothies, yogurt, and pasta, can give your jaw time to rest and heal.
Jaw Exercises
Adding jaw exercises to your routine is another helpful lifestyle change. These exercises can stretch and strengthen the muscles around your jaw, improving flexibility and reducing pain. Our dentist or your physical therapist can recommend exercises that involve gently opening and closing your mouth or moving your jaw from side to side. Doing these exercises regularly can help relieve stiffness and improve jaw function.
Heal Your TMJ
Do you think you may have a TMJ disorder? Call Cornerstone Family Dentistry for TMJ treatment in Garland, TX, today at 972-848-7749. You can also schedule an appointment with our office online.