If you struggle with regular pain in your jaw, neck, and surrounding areas, you may be experiencing a temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMD. The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the hinge that connects your jaw to your skull—any dysfunction in this important little joint can quickly become a headache!
What Are the Symptoms of TMD?
TMD has a wide range of symptoms, including the following:
- Popping, locking, or clicking jaws.
- Regular jaw pain or headaches, especially in the morning.
- Pain that stems from the jaws but reaches to the neck, shoulders, or back.
- Teeth clenching or grinding.
If you’re regularly experiencing more than one of these symptoms, talk to your dentist! TMD treatment could bring you relief.
What Causes TMD?
There is no single cause of TMD, and the disorder will be different person to person. One common cause is when the TMJ gets misaligned due to trauma or accident, and it is no longer in the proper placement.
Another significant contributor to TMD is chronic jaw clenching and teeth grinding. Too much stress can cause clenching and grinding, and some people may even have bruxism, which is an ailment that causes an involuntary grinding of teeth.
Many people also clench or grind their teeth when they are asleep. There’s not much anyone can do about what they do while they’re sleeping, which can make combatting TMD seem difficult. Fortunately, whatever your cause, we can help you manage clenching and grinding, even if you aren’t aware you’re doing it!
How Is TMD treated?
We have found that mouthguards and nightguards can make a big difference to those who suffer from TMD. Wearing these guards can help reduce the severity of clenching and grinding, which will reduce the jaw, neck, and head pain that’s often a part of TMD.
If a mouthguard isn’t the right solution for you, we will help you find something else that works! We are committed to helping you improve your quality of life, and eliminating pain is a vital part of that.
Treat Your TMD and Eliminate Your Jaw Pain Today at Paladin Dental!
Contact us today to schedule an appointment or to learn more about treating TMD.
