TMJ disorder, also known as TMD, is a jaw joint disorder that places major pressure on your smile. Without treatment, this can impact your daily life and cause discomfort, even chronic teeth grinding! In today’s blog, your Riverside Dental Group team talks about treating issues like TMJ disorder and bruxism.
The Causes and Warning Signs of TMJ Disorder
TMJ disorder develops when the temporomandibular joints, which connect the jaw and skull, become strained. This pressure could lead to TMD and with it, difficulties fully opening and closing the mouth, as well as a host of uncomfortable symptoms. This pressure could be caused by issues like injury to the face or jaw, tooth loss, misalignment, issues with the growth of the jaw or the eruption of the teeth, and even untreated bruxism (teeth grinding.)
The symptoms could include pain in the face and jaw, a popping or clicking sensation in the jaw, headaches and migraines, and aches in the neck and shoulders. When you begin to experience persistent pain in and around your smile, please let us know right away.
The Link to Bruxism
Bruxism, or chronic teeth grinding, can occur for many of the same reasons as TMJ disorder. Untreated bruxism can even lead to TMD, and vice-versa. With this disorder, the pressure on your teeth could wear them down or even crack or chip them, leading to tooth sensitivity and toothaches as cavities and infections occur, which could eventually threaten your smile’s stability.
Oral Appliance Therapy
With oral appliance therapy, we can provide a comfortable and noninvasive solution to your TMJ and bruxism-related concerns. Our team will take detailed digital images of your bite from multiple angles and use them to design and custom-fit an oral appliance. The device will look and fit like a mouthguard, but repositions the jaw to ease stress and strain. This also puts a barrier between the upper and lower sets of teeth to prevent further damage from teeth grinding or clenching. The appliance is easy to use, simple to clean, and can travel with you as needed.
If you have any questions about how we diagnose and treat issues like TMJ disorder and teeth grinding, then contact our team today!
Riverside Dental Group Can Offer Family Dentistry
We want to help you smile with confidence again and enjoy relief from major discomfort. To find out more about treating issues like TMD and bruxism, call:
Riverside Dental Group at Magnolia in Riverside, CA at (951) 689-5031.
Dental Associates of Moreno Valley in Moreno Valley, CA at (951) 697-6800.
Riverside Dental Group at Woodcrest (951) 776-9001.
Oasis Family Dental in Temecula, CA at (951) 695-2290.
Dental Associates of Riverside in Riverside, CA at (951) 369-1001.
Dental Associates of Corona in Corona, CA at (951) 273-9580.
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