It is estimated that as many as ten million Americans suffer from temporomandibular disorder (TMD). This disorder of the jaw can be caused by excessive stress, teeth grinding, strenuous physical activities, and overuse of the muscles and results in discomfort and pain for those that suffer from it. The cause of this jaw condition is a dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), which is the joint that connects your lower jaw to your upper jaw. This joint allows your mouth to open and close, move backward, forward, or side to side, making chewing possible. The TMJ works properly when the movements of the lower jaw are synchronized.
TMD occurs when the TMJ and the jaw muscle movements are out of sync, causing inflammation of nearby nerves which leads to neck and head pain, jaw discomfort, muscle soreness, sensitive teeth, and even damaged soft tissue. These can result in headaches, facial pain, ringing of the ears, difficulty chewing, opening and closing the mouth, and the jaws becoming “locked” when eating, yawning, or talking.
Get Relief From TMD
Speak to your North Phoenix dentist right away for the best treatment for your TMD. Causes such as nighttime Bruxism (teeth grinding) can be halted with a custom fit mouth guard that is designed to be used when you sleep. Other options may be hot and cold packs, posture training, and physical therapy, and the most severe cases may have surgery recommended to fix the underlying causes of the disorder.
When the temporomandibular joints on either side of your mouth are out of sync, the attached muscles become fatigued and the nerves become inflamed or strained. Frequently, this dis-coordination is caused by teeth grinding, trauma to the face, arthritis, improperly fitting dental appliances or other work, stress, and even posture problems.
Is surgery my
only TMD Treatment
option?
There are non-surgical treatment options for TMD that can help about 95% of sufferers. Your dentist may recommend relieving your discomfort with strengthening exercises, a mouth guard, massage therapy, or even reducing stress.
Can I use a
store-bought
mouth guard?
Store-bought mouth guards aren’t designed to fit your specific bite, and can actually cause additional damage rather than helping relieve existing problems. Speak to Dr. Ceyhan about your options for a mouth guard.
If you are suffering from symptoms of temporomandibular disorder, or are experiencing jaw or tooth pain, call and make an appointment to speak to Dr. Greg Ceyhan to find out what options are available to bring you relief.
