Headache, neck pain relief, and more at the dentist’s office? Yes, courtesy of treatments for TMJ disorders

Excessive force or pressure may be applied to the joints due to seemingly innocuous behaviors, such as chewing gum every day. Or, arthritis and other degenerative diseases and trauma may be to blame. Plus, TMJDs are often associated with bruxism, the medical term for chronic teeth grinding and jaw clenching. This condition not only damages the teeth but also places excessive strain on the jaw joints and the tissues that are connected to them.

Treatment plans are most definitely not one size fits all, as there are myriad sources of characteristic TMJ pain and symptoms. Also, how often patients experience these symptoms (and their severity) varies. Treatment accounts for the nature and extent of your symptoms and the root cause and may include the fabrication of special, custom oral appliances.

These devices are customized to slip into and fit in your mouth snugly yet comfortably, addressing the underlying source of the problem. For example, if bruxism is implicated, the dentist may order occlusal splints or bite guards. The splint adjusts the placement of the upper and lower teeth so only the front teeth touch when biting down. Without the backmost teeth in contact with each other, the forces generated while bruxing are dramatically reduced.

No! But it is essential to reach out to us sooner rather than later about your TMJ symptoms. Without treatment, they tend to get worse in both severity and frequency.

Treatment for TMJDs at the dentist’s office provides sustained pain relief and more by resolving the symptoms at their source. Many of our patients are no longer as reliant on pain meds or have stopped taking them altogether. These medications tend to address symptoms but not their cause. Contact Advanced Dental today at (949) 289-9993 to schedule your evaluation in Aliso Viejo, CA.