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Artisan Dentistry's Blog

How Do You Know if You Have TMD?

Aug 20th, 2016

Your TMJ (temporomandibular joint) is a complex part of your oral anatomy.

It’s difficult to identify and diagnose problems with your TMJ and it can be just as hard to treat them. Any sort of dysfunction or pain associated with this joint is broadly classified as TMD – temporomandibular joint disorder.

Do you suspect that you have TMD? Here are some common signs:

  • Arm, shoulder, or neck pain
  • Headache
  • Sore jaw
  • Aching or sensitive teeth
  • Ear pain
  • Clicking or popping noises in the jaw
  • Limited jaw opening

 

As you might guess, it can be pretty hard to diagnose a problem with your jaw when so many symptoms could relate to other issues. Chances are good that if you’ve noticed more than one of these signs, you could have TMD.

 

Tracking Down the Cause

First and foremost, treating TMD begins with finding out what could be contributing to the discomfort. Dr. Paul Mathew is specially-trained in the neuromuscular branch of dentistry, so he can help you gain a lot of ground in your search for the source of your jaw pain.

Common causes for TMD are:

  • Arthritis
  • Stress
  • Teeth grinding or clenching habit

Dr. Mathew will use computer imaging, x-rays, and tracking and measuring instruments to study your jaw. He will then use this information to let you know the best way to deal with your TMD.

 

Treatment for TMD

TMD treatment has the focus of relieving your discomfort and improving muscle movement. Dr. Mathew has a tool for helping with this. Some patients need the help of additional medication.

The next step is encouraging your jaw to function within a healthy range of motion. This can mean wearing a special brace or aligner to help your teeth close together in a way that lets your jaw heal.

Contact our team at Artisan Dentistry for expert help if you suspect you have TMD.

Warranty

Our 5 Year Warranty

Anyone can train to be a technician, but few have the talent to become an artist. That’s why Dr. Mathew is able to guarantee his cosmetic dentistry work for a full 5 years. If anything goes wrong with the work, Dr. Mathew will fix it free of charge, as long as you continue with your regular 6 month preventative care cleaning and check up for the duration of the warranty.

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Treatment Rooms

Our individualized treatment rooms and operatories provide patients with maximum privacy and comfort. The treatment rooms were built specifically with your comfort in mind.

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Here at Paul Mathew, D.D.S. we work diligently to protect our patients' privacy. Requesting an appointment via our Internet portal is considered part of what the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) has identified as electronically protected healthcare information or ePHI. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, there are people or entities that may attempt to intercept the data you transmit to us. By checking the "I agree" box, and electronically making an appointment request, you acknowledge that you are making an appointment over the internet and that Paul Mathew, D.D.S. will keep this information confidential but cannot guarantee that others, outside of our practice, may illegally intercept this communication. By accepting these terms and conditions and sending this request via our Internet portal, you accept the inherent risk(s) associated with making this request for an appointment. If you do not accept the terms and conditions, you are always welcome to contact our office via telephone to schedule your appointment.

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Here at Paul Mathew, D.D.S. we work diligently to protect our patients' privacy. Requesting an appointment via our Internet portal is considered part of what the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) has identified as electronically protected healthcare information or ePHI. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, there are people or entities that may attempt to intercept the data you transmit to us. By checking the "I agree" box, and electronically making an appointment request, you acknowledge that you are making an appointment over the internet and that Paul Mathew, D.D.S. will keep this information confidential but cannot guarantee that others, outside of our practice, may illegally intercept this communication. By accepting these terms and conditions and sending this request via our Internet portal, you accept the inherent risk(s) associated with making this request for an appointment. If you do not accept the terms and conditions, you are always welcome to contact our office via telephone to schedule your appointment.

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The information presented here is not intended or implied to be medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It should be used for informational purposes only.