Have you ever heard of the temporomandibular joint? It’s okay if you haven’t—but it can play a very important role in your everyday life, especially if you suffer from a TMJ disorder. 303 Smiles will be telling you about how orthodontic treatment can help alleviate TMJ pain.
A Brief Breakdown
Your TMJ joint is responsible for the smooth movement of your jaw, allowing you to chew, talk, and yawn comfortably. When this function is interfered with, the effects can range from uncomfortable to downright painful. There are actually a few different manners of TMJ disorders that patients can experience:
- Bruxism: Teeth grinding, which often occurs when a patient is sleeping and results in pain upon being awoken. It can also wear down teeth depending on your alignment.
- Jaw Pain and Stiffness: Pain or discomfort in the jaw joint or muscles, especially while chewing or speaking.
- Clicking or Popping Sounds: Clicking or popping noises when opening or closing the mouth are often associated with jaw movement.
- Locking of the Jaw: Difficulty in opening or closing the jaw fully, sometimes feeling like the jaw is locking in place.
- Headaches: Frequent headaches or migraines caused by tension in the jaw muscles or misalignment of the joint.
- Facial Pain: General pain in the facial area, which may spread to the neck and shoulders due to TMJ tension.
An Orthodontic Intervention
We completely understand if jaw disorders aren’t the first thing you think of when somebody says “orthodontic treatment.” But a lot of the work that Dr. Straffon does at 303 Smiles contributes to the health of your jaw, as well as your teeth. Many of these treatments go hand in hand with one another.
Here are some of the many ways that orthodontic treatment can positively impact TMJ disorder symptoms:
- Correcting Bite Alignment: We use orthodontic treatment to help resolve various bite issues, such as overbites, underbites, or crossbites, which often contribute to TMJ problems by causing uneven pressure on your jaw joints.
- Reducing Teeth Grinding (Bruxism): Bruxism symptoms can be worsened when teeth are misaligned or when your bite overlaps. By aligning the teeth properly, orthodontic treatment can help alleviate constant grinding or clenching, which usually makes TMJ symptoms more painful.
- Improving Jaw Position: Braces or additional orthodontic appliances can be used to reposition the jaw to ensure you aren’t experiencing uneven pressure when you bite down. Dr. Straffon’s goal is to make sure pressure is evenly distributed across all of your teeth.
- Alleviating Muscle Strain: Aligning your teeth can also help out with strained jaw muscles, which is a common source of patients’ discomfort.
- Preventing Future TMJ Issues: When possible, our team likes to address TMJ issues in children and adolescents. Taking care of jaw misalignments early can be more effective since a child’s jaw is more receptive to treatment than an adult’s. It can also help fend off any advanced issues as kids grow up.
- Reducing Headaches: By aligning the teeth and reducing strain on the jaw muscles, orthodontic treatment can help alleviate headaches often associated with TMJ disorders.
FAQs About TMJ Treatment
Finally, our team wants to examine some questions that we often hear about TMJ conditions and treatment. Dr. Straffon is an incredible resource for these inquiries, so don’t hesitate to bring up questions or concerns during your office visits!
Q: What causes TMJ disorders to happen?
A variety of factors can cause these symptoms to develop. Stress can play a massive role in TMJ disorders, leading to issues like bruxism. Other factors include poor posture, clenching of the jaw, arthritis, or trauma to the jaw area.
Q: What should I do if I suspect I have a TMJ disorder?
If you think you might be experiencing symptoms, definitely communicate this to your dentist or contact our practice for a free consultation. We would want to provide you with a proper diagnosis and recommend an appropriate treatment plan based on your specific symptoms and needs.
Q: Can a nightguard help with my TMJ disorder?
When patients suffer from grinding or clenching teeth at night, a nightguard can certainly come in handy. It helps protect teeth from damage and reduce the muscle strain you experience. We suggest getting a custom-fabricated nightguard through our office, as opposed to buying a DIY kit.
The 303 Smiles Solution
If you find that you’re being impacted by TMJ symptoms, we don’t recommend ignoring it! Dr. Straffon will work with you one-on-one to see that all of your needs are met through a customized treatment plan to address your jaw and any other areas of concern. We look forward to welcoming you into our Greenwood Village office soon.