Preventive Dentistry

The problem with dental discomfort is that you can rarely find permanent relief from home. For instance, if you have a chronic toothache, then you might relieve it with an over-the-counter pain reliever or some other home remedy. Yet, the pain will likely come back because you haven’t addressed its underlying cause. The same is true for chronic jaw discomfort, including recurring pain and popping/clicking sensations when you bite and chew. However, the cause of such discomfort (typically, TMJ disorder) also comes with various other symptoms, which makes it difficult to pin down the exact source of your discomfort without help from your dentist.

What a TMJ Disorder Is

Your jaw hinges on two large joints, known as temporomandibular joints (TMJs), which are located just in front of each of your ears (at the temporal bones). TMJ disorders are a collection of different issues that can affect one or both of your TMJs, such as damage, inflammation, or misalignment of the joints. Some patients may develop arthritis in their TMJs or suffer a physical injury that can also impact your jaw’s function and comfort.

The Symptoms You Might Experience

TMJ disorders develop within your jaw joints, and therefore, their most prominent symptoms involve pain and difficulty when you open and close your jaw. However, TMJ disorders can also disturb your dominant trigeminal nerve, which innervates the rest of your head and neck, as well. This means you can also experience symptoms like persistent earaches, soreness and pain in your face, shoulders, and neck muscles, frequent headaches/migraines, and more.

How to Fix the Dysfunction

Like any dental issue, fixing TMJ disorder requires first precisely diagnosing your condition to determine exactly what must be addressed. For many patients, though, TMJ disorder can be resolved with a custom-designed oral appliance that you can wear while you sleep at night. The appliance gives your lower jaw the support it needs to rest comfortably and allow your TMJs to heal, alleviating your many different symptoms.

Ask Your Dentist if You Need TMJ Treatment

If you’re suffering from chronic jaw pain and issues with your bite function, then you may need customized TMJ treatment to fix it. To learn more, schedule a consultation by calling Modern Smile in North Hollywood, CA, today at 818-763-9353. We also proudly serve patients who live in Burbank, Toluca Lake, and all surrounding communities.

It’s a well-known secret that the best treatment for any dental health issues is prevention. Even widely common conditions like cavities (the most frequently occurring issue) can be successfully prevented with the right hygiene and preventive care measures. Nevertheless, the fact that cavities affect a large majority of people (over 90%) at least once in their lives shows that prevention requires consistency to be effective. Today, we take a look at what that means, both for your hygiene routine at home and your scheduled visits to your dentist’s office.

All the Things You Do At Home

Brushing and flossing your teeth is considered preventive, but when you do it, you’re actively removing harmful oral bacteria from your teeth and gums. These microbes are the building blocks of plaque – the biofilm that calcifies into tartar – and as they accumulate, they pose an increasing threat to your teeth and gums. Harmful oral bacteria release acids that erode your tooth enamel and structure, and preventing them from causing damage requires removing them multiple times every day. Therefore, cavity prevention depends on brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing at least once, without fail.

Your Dentist’s Role

When plaque calcifies into tartar, the bacteria it protects become invulnerable to toothpaste and water. This is one of the reasons why cavities form so easily. Fortunately, you can remove this film before a cavity forms, as well as treat a cavity in its earliest stages, by sticking to a regular schedule of preventive dental checkups and cleanings. After your hygienist expertly removes all traces of plaque and tartar, your dentist can thoroughly inspect your teeth to see if oral bacteria have already lead to a cavity, or weakened your enamel enough to make cavity development imminent.

Save Your Self Trouble by Preventing Cavities

Cavities are common because they form easily, but for most patients, they can be successfully prevented with just as much ease. To learn more about how to prevent things like cavities from affecting your smile, schedule a consultation by calling Modern Smile in North Hollywood, CA, today at 818-763-9353.