When you have TMJ disorder, sometimes referred to as TMD, this could mean pain in your face, jaw, and even the onset of headaches and migraines. We don’t want you to suffer from worsening symptoms, or related issues like bruxism. Instead, talk to your Astoria, NY, dentist about a possible solution with a simple oral appliance.
The Factors Behind TMD
TMJ disorder develops due to the onset of jaw joint strain. Your joints are responsible for the actions necessary to eat and speak, and this disorder could complicate how fully you can open and close your mouth. This could be caused by factors that upset bite balance, such as tooth loss, misalignment, injury to the face or jaw, chronic teeth grinding, and problems with the growth and development of the jaw and oral structures. As part of your treatment, we will assess the cause of your strain with a thorough diagnosis.
Don’t Ignore the Symptoms
Symptoms vary, but could include popping or clicking in your smile, headaches and migraines, or aches in the face and jaw. Neck and shoulder pain are also common too! If you grind your teeth, since bruxism can both cause and be caused by TMD, you could experience tooth sensitivity and toothaches. If you have chronic pain in and around your face, this could mean you need treatment. You should contact our team to schedule an exam, so we can create a diagnosis and choose the best solution for your smile.
Treating Your TMJ Disorder
For some patients, treatment could involve orthodontics, such as ClearCorrect aligners, to shift uneven teeth and improve overall balance. We could also replace missing teeth with bridges, partials, or dental implants. We could use crowns, bonding, or contouring to help correct bite balance too.
But the most common solution is a simple oral appliance. This appliance is custom-made for your smile based on the detailed digital images and measurements we take of your teeth and jaw. We then combine these to create a 3D impression, one that helps us design and create an appliance that looks and fits like a mouthguard. This is worn as you sleep, and repositions the smile to ease strain and tension, so you avoid symptoms. If you happen to grind your teeth too, this puts a barrier between the upper and lower teeth to prevent further damage. If you have any questions, then give us a call today!
Do You Have Uncomfortable Symptoms?
Persistent pain in your head, jaw, and face could mean you need to see us for an exam. To learn more about how we treat issues related to strained joints and imbalanced bites, then schedule a consultation by calling Jeffrey Leibowitz, DDS, in Astoria, NY, today at 718-728-8320.
