If you clench your jaws, grind your teeth, or have an unbalanced bite, eventually your chewing muscles can become fatigued, shorten, and go into painful spasms. Pain that originates in your jaw joints can spread to your temples or the back of your head and trigger migraines. It can also cause chronic neck, back, and shoulder pain.
Why do TMJ disorders develop?
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) plays a crucial role in how your jaw functions. It is made up of joints on either side of your face that connect your jawbone to your skull. If it doesn’t function properly, you experience the pain described above. At this point, it’s hard to pinpoint one thing responsible for a person’s TMJ, however, the factors that can lead to pain include …
- arthritis
- jaw injury
Also, bruxism (the clenching or grinding of teeth) is present in some people who have this disorder.
If you’ve been suffering with jaw joint pain or even unexplained migraine or neck pain, our caring team can reduce or even provide total relief of these symptoms if your discomfort is dental in origin. By determining your optimal bite, one that supports the jaw so your muscles can work together efficiently, and custom crafting your treatment plan…
- Your aching jaw muscles could finally relax.
- You could get relief from tenderness of the jaw muscles, limited jaw opening, facial or head pain.
- You could eliminate those clicking, popping, and grating noises.
- You could conquer fatigue and disrupted sleep patterns that are a result of TMJ pain.
Chronic pain can lead to stress and tension which can worsen your TMJ symptoms over time. We recommend a thorough exam to help determine the cause of your discomfort and to recommend the right treatment plan.
Call today and let us help you get the relief you deserve!
Yours in excellent dental health,
Dr. Mark Lansdell, your General Family Dentist in Guelph