TMJ treatment can lead to painful aches in the jaw, face, and head, and even alter how you open and close your mouth. To avoid pain in your smile and prevent complications, we can offer relief. In today’s blog, your North Hollywood, CA, dentist talks about how we treat issues like TMJ disorder!

The Causes and Warning Signs of TMJ Disorder

What causes an issue like TMJ disorder, also known as TMD, to develop? This could occur due to issues that cause stress on the jaw joints, such as missing teeth, misalignment, injury to the face or jaw, untreated bruxism (teeth grinding), and issues with the growth and development of the jaw or eruption of the teeth. The warning signs may include headaches, migraines, jaw pain, facial aches, and pain in the neck and shoulders. A popping or crackling sensation in the jae could occur, and if you grind your teeth, tooth sensitivity and toothaches are possible. Don’t ignore these warning signs, see our team for a diagnosis!

Diagnosing Your Smile

To begin, our team will take a close look at your smile for signs of wear and friction on the teeth. We can also gather detailed digital x-rays, using 90% less radiation and obtaining clear images instantly. These can help us assess your overall bite balance. When we understand the cause and severity of your TMD, we can create a personalized treatment plan to bring relief and protect your smile from further discomfort or damage.

Our Treatment Options

For some, we may prescribe medications to aid in easing stress. Physical therapy, such as muscle exercises, could also be a helpful solution. We could also use reconstructive dentistry, such as crowns or prosthetics, to help improve overall bite balance. Oral surgery can improve the alignment and balance of your jaw too. But the most common solution is an oral appliance, a mouth guard custom-made for your smile that you wear at night. When in place, the mouth guard will reposition the smile to ease the stress and strain, so you avoid symptoms. At the same time, if you grind your teeth this places a barrier between the upper and lower sets of teeth to prevent further damage to your smile.

If you have any questions about how we diagnose and treat issues like TMJ disorder, then contact our team today to learn more. We want to help you enjoy your best smile!

Schedule a Visit for TMJ Treatment

Our team wants to help you enjoy good oral health and avoid stress on your jaw joints. To schedule a visit and address your jaw joint strain, give us a call at Modern Smiles in North Hollywood, CA at (818)763-9353.