Struggling with jaw pain? Petrie Advanced Dental can help! Our experienced and empathetic team can diagnose and treat many issues with Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMD).
What Is TMJ/TMD?
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) acts as the sliding hinge on either side of your face, connecting your jaw to your skull.
The stress that the TMJ deals with can be immense with all the daily activities we put our mouths through:
- Chewing.
- Biting.
- Speaking.
- Yawning.
- Smiling.
- Teeth grinding.
- Jaw clenching.
- Manifesting external stress.
Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) occurs when the TMJ is injured. That’s where we come in. If you have TMD, Petrie Advanced Dental can provide treatment that provides relief to pain and repairs the injured joint.
What Are the Signs I Have TMJ/TMD?
If you experience any level of dental discomfort, you should contact our office. After all, dental discomfort can be an early warning sign of a more serious oral health issue, and resolving it quickly is necessary. TMD has many symptoms, including both those that are dental-related, and those that are less so:
Jaw Pain
If you feel a constant ache or pain in your jaw, this can be a sign that the muscles are overworked and stressed.
TMJ Pain or Discomfort
Perhaps the earliest warning sign you may be developing TMD is an ongoing ache or sudden pain in one or both of your joints.
Sudden Aches Around Your Ear
If you are suffering from frequent earaches, it may be caused by the muscle tension associated with TMJ.
Difficulty Chewing
If you are experiencing difficulty chewing because of tenderness in your jaw, this may be a sign of TMD.
Facial Pain
One of the most common causes of TMD is clenching your jaw without realizing it. This can put extra stress on your facial muscles, causing soreness or aches.
TMD Treatments at Petrie Advanced Dental
Deprogrammers
A deprogrammer is a tool used to realign your bite. This tool prevents your teeth from meeting in unnatural ways that cause the jaw muscles to strain. Without a deprogrammer, a misaligned jaw can cause issues with tooth damage, muscle alignment, and the TMJ.
A deprogrammer can be either a plastic or metal band that will keep your teeth separated long enough for your jaw to forget chewing patterns engrained in muscle memory that cause problems.
Botox
Botox is a chemical treatment that can soothe your facial muscles. Here at Petrie Advanced Dental, we offer Botox treatments for both aesthetic and medical purposes. Our medical use of Botox focuses on relaxing jaw muscles that may be stressed or tight. The result can alleviate tension headaches, jaw pain, or discomfort chewing.
TMJ Splints and Night Guards
If you find you have bad sleeping habits such as clenching or grinding teeth, a TMJ splint may be perfect for resolving your problem. A TMJ splint is an oral appliance that is designed to fit snugly over your teeth. It will keep your teeth from directly contacting each other while you sleep.
These appliances can help properly align your jaw so that your airflow remains unrestricted throughout the night. With Petrie Advanced Dental, we can set you up with any of three types of mouthguards:
- Traditional
Traditional night guards are made from tough plastic that is meant to protect your teeth and reposition your jaw. Traditional night guards aren’t custom-made but are designed to fit loosely around your teeth. - Custom Hybrid
Custom hybrid night guards are made out of two plastic layers, a hard outer layer made to resist grinding, and a soft inner layer designed to soften impacts and reduce irritation from grinding. - Printed
These custom-made night guards are designed to fit snugly around your teeth. Printed nightguards give all the advantages and comfort of traditional nightguards but have a snugger fit, which might make them more comfortable.
Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a breathing disorder that can have some serious negative impacts on your health. It manifests as having trouble breathing while asleep. Sleep apnea makes it so you don’t go through a full sleep cycle because your brain has to keep waking you up periodically so you can breathe.
This lack of air and restful sleep every night can have several negative impacts on your health that could carry over into different areas of your life. Here at Petrie Advanced Dental, we strive to provide you with solutions that will help you get back to living your best life!
TMD and Sleep Apnea
If the cause of your TMD is bruxism (tooth grinding) while sleeping, there’s a good chance that you have sleep apnea too. Because sleep apnea can be so harmful to your health, we urge patients with bruxism or TMD to seek treatment before the condition worsens.
Symptoms of Sleep Apnea.
- Loud snoring.
- Gasping for air while sleeping.
- Morning headaches.
- Dry mouth on waking.
- Insomnia.
- Hypersomnia—excessive daytime sleepiness.
- Difficulty concentrating while awake.
- Irritability.
Here at Petrie Advanced Dental, we offer many solutions that can mitigate the effects of sleep apnea, helping to restore you to a higher quality of sleep. Many of the treatments and devices used for TMD can also help our patients afflicted with sleep apnea get a better night’s sleep.
Find Relief at Petrie Advanced Dental
Whether you’re struggling with jaw pain, headaches, daytime sleepiness, or snoring, we can help. Seek TMD and sleep apnea treatment now by making an appointment with Petrie Advanced Dental.
