Relieving TMJ Disorder through Jaw Pain Therapy

Peak Dental - Relieving TMJ Disorder through Jaw Pain Therapy

If you live with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain caused by a temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD), you are keenly aware of how much it impacts your daily life. Not only is your physical health affected, but, dealing with the constant strain of frequent pain can seriously affect your mental health, too.

To help you manage this challenging condition, we’ll cover the symptoms and causes of TMJ pain and TMD, and how you can alleviate its discomfort so you can speak, sleep and chew easier.

Where are my temporomandibular joints?

TMJ refers to the joints that connect your lower jaw to your skull. They, along with other muscles, give your jaw (or mandible) the mobility to move up and down, side to side and forward and back. When the mandible and joints are misaligned, it can cause pain and a number of other health issues.

Because these joints are located near the front of each ear, often, the first symptoms of TMJ disorder often present as ear pain.

What is TMJ disorder?

TMJ disorder, or TMD, refers to a variety of dysfunctions affecting your TMJ. A common affliction, TMJ pain is caused by inflammation in the jaw joint (or temporomandibular joint), often resulting from jaw clenching, teeth grinding (bruxism) or having an asymmetrical (unequal) bite. However, a number of other factors come into play and can cause TMD, including genes and trauma such as from a head or neck injury.

Common symptoms of TMD include:

  • Jaw and tooth pain

  • Headaches and earaches

  • Pain in the neck or shoulders

  • Difficulty chewing or opening your mouth wide

  • Lockjaw

  • Clicking, popping, or grating sounds in the TMJ when moving the jaw

  • Tiredness in your facial muscles

  • Tinnitus, or ear ringing

  • Misalignment of your teeth

  • Swelling near the TMJ

For a clearer picture of why you’re dealing with pain or discomfort from TMD, consult your dentist.

How to relieve TMJ pain

Whatever the cause, fortunately, there are a number of options for managing TMD and alleviating TMJ pain. Some common management options include:

  • Warm compress

  • Anti-inflammatory medication (like ibuprofen)

  • Massage and physical therapy

Along with health advocates like your doctor, the best professional to see for managing TMD and the pain associated with it is your dentist.

Jaw Pain Therapy at Peak Dental

At Peak Dental, we offer special jaw pain therapy, designed specifically for those suffering from TMD.

After an initial physical assessment to determine the health of your jaw, we’ll take dental X-rays to see precisely what’s happening with your jawbones.

From here, we’ll create a holistic plan to help alleviate pain, strengthen your jaw muscles, and protect your oral health moving forward.

It’s our mission to help you create the best system to not only relieve pain from TMD but to help create a better quality of life for you through peak oral health.

Get in touch with us today and we can talk about what that looks like for you!

Joel Harding