TMJ disorder, also referred to as TMD, is a serious jaw joint disorder that impacts millions of smiles. Without treatment, this could cause painful symptoms and complicate how you open and close your mouth. Your Astoria, NY, dentist can offer oral appliance therapy to comfortably treat this disorder and bring relief.
The Causes of TMD
TMJ disorder develops when the temporomandibular joints, which connect your jaw and skull, undergo excessive strain and stress. The disorder leads to a host of uncomfortable symptoms, and could even make fully opening and closing your mouth difficult. Causes include missing teeth, malocclusion, injury to the face or jaw, bruxism (teeth grinding), or problems with the growth and development of the jaw and oral structures. Common warning signs could include popping or clicking in the jaw, headaches, migraines, or aches in the jaw, face, neck, or shoulders. If you also happen to grind your teeth, this could mean tooth sensitivity and toothaches. If one or more of these warning signs applies to you, then contact our team for a diagnosis!
Lifestyle Changes
Often, you can reduce discomfort until we can see you and offer treatment with a few simple lifestyle changes. Try to cut back on hard or chewy foods, or chewing on objects like pens or pencils, as this could worsen symptoms. You can use a warm washcloth against the side of the face to control tension, and also take an over-the-counter pain reliever to treat discomfort. Try to avoid caffeinated products too.
Oral Appliances
Treatment for the disorder could vary. To begin, we will carefully examine your smile with advanced digital imaging, diagnosing the cause and extent of your TMD. For some, we could replace missing teeth with a lifelike prosthetic. Such as a bridge or a dental implant. Dental bonding, contouring, or even a custom-made crown could be used to improve overall bite balance and bring relief. But in most cases, we will take digital images to design and craft a custom-made oral appliance.
The device will fit like a mouthguard and be worn as you rest. The appliance then repositions the smile to ease tension and prevent symptoms. If you grind your teeth, then this also puts a barrier between the upper and lower teeth to prevent further damage. You can avoid painful symptoms, dental damage, and enjoy better bite balance and health too! If you have any questions about how we treat a disorder like this, or about scheduling a checkup, then contact our team today.
Your Astoria, NY, Dentist Can Improve Bite Balance
We’re ready to help treat your smile with a comfortable and noninvasive solution. To learn more about how we ease strain and stress on your jaw joints, then schedule a consultation by calling Jeffrey Leibowitz, DDS, in Astoria, NY, today at 718-728-8320.
