TMJ Relief and TMD (Temporal Mandibular joint disorders)Treatment

TMD (Temporal Mandibular joint disorders) are painful and when left untreated, will potentially be dangerous to your health. We provide TMJ relief by helping you recognize the symptoms of TMD, and offering non-surgical treatment alternatives. Temporal Mandibular Disorder or TMD is a broad term referring to problems with the jaws and their functioning. It is commonly referred to as "TMJ". This system is very complex and problems are caused by a variety of factors.

Symptoms and signs of TMD

Seek treatment from our specially trained dentists if you experience some of the following.

• Jaw pain and/or stiffness
• Headaches, usually at the temples and side of head
• Vague tooth soreness or toothache which often move around the mouth
• Sensitive teeth
• Painful or tender jaw joint
• Difficulty opening jaw
• Pain and fatigue when eating hard or chewy foods
• Clicks, pops, or grinding sound in jaw joint
• Ear pain
• Cervical neck tension and pain
• Tooth wear
• Awareness of grinding/clenching teeth while sleeping or awake
• A pattern of breaking or cracking teeth with no other cause
• History of medically diagnosed migraine headaches

Temporal Mandibular Disorders come in many forms and varying degrees of severity. Basically TMD is a problem when you either experience pain and/or a loss of jaw function. The pain can range from a mild ache in the morning to a chronic debilitating pain. Loss of function can be mild jaw stiffness to being unable to open the jaw barely at all.

Migraine Headache and TMJ Therapy

Millions of people suffer from both tension migraine headaches and tooth damage resulting from involuntary grinding and clenching. In most cases the cause is simply overactive muscular functioning. The muscles that open and close your mouth cannot only wear your teeth down, but also can lead to headaches in the frontal and temporal areas of your head. Further pain can also develop in the jaw and neck regions. If left untreated, severe tooth damage and problems with your Temporal Mandibular Joint (TMJ) can result.

If you are experiencing any such signs and symptoms, the NTI device may be the treatment for you. Recently approved by the FDA for tension migraine headache therapy, the NTI works not only to stop related pain but also protect your teeth from excessive wear. Worn at night, the NTI is a incredibly small appliance that is custom fit over two of your front teeth. The device works by preventing contact of your back teeth and helping the bones and tissues in the TMJ to rest in the most stable position. For severe cases, modified devices are also available for daytime treatment.

Glen Park Dental provides personalized TMJ Treatment plans for each patient in a comfortable and convenient setting. Each patient must be treated differently depending on the uniqueness of their problems and the contributing factors.

Our basic philosophy of treatment is to do the conservative and reversible treatments first. Irreversible treatments , such as surgery or orthodontics, are only considered if conservative steps have failed to bring lasting relief. Most patients respond well to simpler care. If treated early enough, TMD symptoms can abate and our dentists may be able to save you from many years of discomfort and expensive dental procedures.