When you have pain in the face or jaw, this could mean you have an issue known as TMJ disorder, or TMD. This common oral health concern could not only cause discomfort, but TMD could even alter how we eat and speak. In today’s blog, your Richfield, MN, dentist talks about treating TMJ disorder with a custom oral appliance.
The Causes and Warning Signs of TMJ Disorder
How does a serious problem like TMJ disorder even develop? People could develop TMD when their jaw joints become strained, which could be caused by issues like injury to the face or jaw, complications with the growth of the jaw or eruption of the teeth, wisdom tooth eruption, missing teeth, or misalignment. When the joints are strained and TMD occurs, this could mean pain in the face or jaw, headaches or migraines, or even a popping or clicking sensation in your bite. When you experience symptoms like these, we hope you will contact our team right away for a diagnosis and to discuss possible treatment options, including custom oral appliances.
The Link to Bruxism
TMJ disorder could also be linked to bruxism! Chronic teeth grinding can also strain your joints to make the onset of TMD more likely. Likewise, untreated TMJ disorder could increase the risk of grinding your teeth. You need treatment to alleviate the pressure and prevent damage from the grinding episodes, so you avoid tooth sensitivity, toothaches, infections, and changes to the appearance of your smile!
Treatment with an Oral Appliance
How do we provide relief for our patients? We could do this with a custom oral appliance, which is fitted for your smile based on the detailed digital images and measurements we will take of your smile. The finished product will look and fit like a mouthguard, but also reposition the jaw to ease the underlying stress and strain, so you enjoy relief from TMD symptoms. If you also grind your teeth. This places a soft barrier between the upper and lower sets of teeth to prevent further damage! Our team can then use options like bonding or even custom crowns to repair any damage caused by bruxism, protecting your smile from further complications.
If you have any questions about how we diagnose and treat these issues, or about our custom oral appliances, then contact our team today to learn more. We want to help you smile with comfort and confidence, and avoid painful symptoms that impact your daily life.
Schedule Your Visit for TMD Treatment
Don’t ignore the discomfort in your face and jaw, talk to our team about treatment. To learn more about improving bite balance and avoiding discomfort, call Cedar West Dental in Richfield, MN, today at 612) 861-7188.
