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Artisan Dentistry's Blog

TMJ: Symptoms and Treatments

Jan 1st, 2016

TMD & TMJ Treatments with Medical Instruments

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder – otherwise known as TMJ, TMD, or TMJD, is a condition that impacts the function of the jaw joint. TMJ disorder can be caused by a number of different things, such as anatomy, injury, or misaligned teeth.

Symptoms of TMJ

Some people never realize they suffer from TMJ disorders, while others experience chronic pain. It can be common to experience symptoms such as:

  • Popping or clicking as you open and close your mouth
  • Deviation of your jaw from one side to the other during opening and closing
  • Headaches and muscle pain near the jaw, ears, face, neck, or shoulders
  • Flattened, worn teeth and restorations
  • Your jaw “locking” in place, preventing you from opening or closing it

Woman with TMJ Jaw PainTreatments for TMJ Disorder

Mild TMJ discomfort is usually managed by taking an over the counter anti-inflammatory, such as ibuprofen. Applying a warm compress to the side of the face is also beneficial.

Unfortunately, some people need therapeutic steps to omit their jaw pain. A number of different options can be used, depending on the particular needs of each person. Some examples include

Orthodontic Therapy – If alignment of the teeth is causing the jaws to work atypically, then orthodontic therapy can correct the problem.

Bite Splints – Clenching or bruxism can lead to overuse of the TMJ, resulting in pain and worn teeth. A custom fitted bite splint can relieve stress to the teeth as well as prevent headaches by “training” your jaw to relax.

TENSing – Some dentists will use small electrodes to temporarily relax the muscles around the jaw.

Botox / Injectables – Injecting a dermal filler such as Botox near the TMJ can provide pain relief by relaxing me muscles for a few months at a time.

If you’re struggling with jaw pain or TMJ disorder, schedule a consultation with Dr. Paul Mathew to find out how we can help!

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.

Treatment Room

Individualized
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.