TMJ Therapy Specialist

What is the temporomandibular joint (TMJ)?

The TMJ connects your jaw to your head at about the level of the ear. It’s a sliding hinge-like structure, one on each side of the head, that makes it possible to open and close your mouth and slide your jaw from side-to-side as you speak, chew, sing, or otherwise express yourself.

Like any joint, the TMJ contains bones whose ends are covered by slippery cartilage to provide smooth, frictionless movement. Small discs that act like shock-absorbing cushions lie between the bones. Various ligaments, tendons, and muscles hold the TMJ in place and help provide the strength necessary for normal function.

Any of these structures are vulnerable to disease and injury that can cause mild to moderate to debilitating pain.

What are the symptoms of TMJ disorder?

The symptoms of TMJ disorder can vary greatly from one person to the next, may change in intensity or duration over time, and can include:

• Pain or tenderness that can extend down along the jaw or into the face
• A clicking sound or grinding/grating sensation when you open your mouth
• Pain localized to one or both joints
• Aching, persistent pain in or around the ears
• Sensation that your jaw is stiff or locks with movement
• Difficulty chewing due to pain and stiffness in one or both joints

Headaches are also a common symptom of TMJ disorder and are sometimes mistaken for migraines due to the severity of the one-sided head pain. 

Along with musculoskeletal discomfort, TMJ disorder can be a significant source of nerve irritation, pain, and inflammation due to many nerves that run behind the joints.

Once these nerves become inflamed, the slightest touch can cause severe pain that may travel along the nerves into your face and jaw.

TMJ therapy offered at RR Dentistry is highly effective at relieving the symptoms associated with TMJ disorder.

What is TMJ therapy?

At RR Dentistry, your TMJ therapy starts with a thorough exam that may include diagnostic imaging studies to evaluate the health of your joints and help identify the underlying cause of your discomfort and joint dysfunction.

Your treatment strategy is designed based on the results of your evaluation and may include physical therapy to reduce joint stiffness and oral medications to reduce pain and inflammation.

Your provider may also recommend a stabilization or occlusal splint (bite guard) to help offload the pressure on the irritated nerves and other soft tissue structures by maintaining the joints in a stable position.

These devices are customized to fit your face shape and slip over your upper or lower teeth. Worn mostly at night, stabilization splints can offer significant relief from TMJ pain. 

Schedule a visit at RR Dentistry today by calling the office or requesting an appointment online.