I Have Frequent TMJ Pain. Should I Be Concerned?

Living with temporomandibular joint disorder symptoms can be difficult. While the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is necessary for oral function, it can become stressed, fatigued, and damaged and cause TMJ pain that can make life uncomfortable and in severe cases, even painful. However, with the help of SmilesNY Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry, you can find TMJ treatment to help alleviate these symptoms in New York City, NY.

Our team of professionals diagnose and treat TMD symptoms. We use only the latest techniques to identify conditions that involve the jaw joints. We provide personalized treatment plans for restoring health in our New York City patients. Our TMJ specialists in NYC understand what you’re experiencing and offer disclusion time reduction therapy in order to help improve your jaw joint health.

What is the TMJ?

The TMJ is a hinge joint that connects the lower jaw to the skull. It allows the lower jaw to slide forward and helps with oral function. When the joint, muscles, or surrounding tissues become overworked, inflamed, or damaged in any way, problems begin to develop. TMD refers to any dysfunction or problem that affects the normal function of these joints. TMJ treatment aims to restore function and to reduce or eliminate TMJ symptoms.

TMD Symptoms & TMJ Pain

The symptoms of TMD may vary between patients in New York City. If you experienced TMJ pain and any of the following symptoms, a TMJ specialist from SmilesNY can provide a TMJ evaluation:

• Sensitive teeth

• Toothaches

• Pain in the jaw, neck, face, or shoulders

• Clicking and popping in the jaw

• Frequent headaches and earaches

• Ringing in the ears

• Limited range of jaw movement

• Stiff or stuck jaw

• Difficulty chewing or biting

• Worn biting edges

When you notice any changes to your bite, it’s important to contact our professional team who can determine a diagnosis and create a treatment plan that will relieve your TMJ/TMD pain.

Diagnosing TMD

During a TMJ evaluation visit with a TMJ specialist in NYC at SmilesNY, we will listen to your symptoms about your jaw problem. We will also do a physical evaluation in order to evaluate how your jaw moves and to look for signs of wear on your teeth. A bite analysis may also allow us to identify if a patient has a crossbite, overbite, underbite, or open bite, which could be the cause of the TMJ pain. Digital x-ray can also give a more detailed view of the joints too. All of these things can help us to generate a professional diagnosis for TMD. At SmilesNY, we use the latest technology for providing the most accurate diagnosis for our patients.

Things that contribute to TMD

Many things can contribute to TMJ problems in our patients in New York City, NY at SmilesNY. They include:

· Anxiety

· Arthritis

· Bite problems

· Jaw misalignment

· Poor posture

· Stress

· Teeth grinding and clenching

· Injury

· Uneven restorations

Understanding DTR Therapy

Smiles NY is the only New York City-area practice to offer disclosure time reduction therapy (DTR). We have a certification for TMJ therapy, meaning we specialize in treating patients with TMJ pain. DTR is a computer-assisted approach to identifying factors that disturb how your teeth bite together. We look at how your muscles function and move. DTR therapy allows our TMJ specialist in New York City to correct your bite, which will allow those muscles to relax and reduce your TMJ pain.

TMD treatment options

Along with DTR therapy and bite adjustments, SmilesNY may also recommend other options to help our patients who need TMJ treatment. Oral appliance therapy with nightguards helps to protect both the teeth and the jaw joint from teeth grinding. Other patients may see success with replacing damaged or uneven dental restorations. Orthodontics also can help correct a misaligned bite too. More severe cases of TMD may require surgery.

Learn more about TMJ treatment in New York City

Many patients experiencing TMJ pain and symptoms are completely unaware they have TMD. Headaches, frequent earaches, and an aching jaw can be associated with a series of other medical conditions. Our experienced dentists at SmilesNY Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry in New York City, NY have successfully studied TMD and can offer treatment for TMJ pain. If you’re experiencing TMD symptoms, call our professional team today to schedule an appointment for TMD diagnosis.