When you think about your joints, you probably think of your knees, hips, or even the small joints in your hands and feet. But you probably don’t think about the joints inside your jaw — unless you’re living with a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder. If you are, Justin Saigh, DDS, and the team at Superior Family Dental in Kingsford, Michigan, offer you relief from your aching facial pain. Get TMJ treatment by calling the office or making an appointment online today.
What is TMJ?
TMJ is an abbreviation for the temporomandibular joint. This is the joint that makes it possible for your jawbone to move, enabling you to talk and eat. As you can imagine, this joint has to do a lot of work throughout your day, and that can take its toll.
When people talk about TMJ, they usually aren’t referring to the joint itself. Instead, they’re talking about TMJ disorders or conditions that affect this joint. These disorders are characterized by the joint not working the way it should and can cause a wide range of symptoms, including:
- Facial pain
- Joint locking
- Trouble chewing
- Jaw pain
- Pain near one or both ears
The pain from TMJ is most commonly an aching pain. If you’ve noticed aching pain anywhere in your face, don’t hesitate to talk to the dedicated team at Superior Family Dental They help you identify the cause of your TMJ and start treatment to alleviate your discomfort.
What causes TMJ?
Some of the most common causes of TMJ are:
- Arthritis
- Jaw injury
- Problems with the disc inside the joint
- Teeth grinding (bruxism)
- Improper tooth or jaw alignment
- Jaw dislocation
Identifying what’s causing your TMJ helps your Superior Family Dental provider tailor treatment to alleviate your symptoms as quickly as possible. They offer digital X-rays at their practice so they can see the condition of your jaw, helping them best design treatment for you.
How is TMJ treated?
There are several TMJ treatment options. Some changes at home can make a dramatic difference, including learning jaw relaxation techniques and avoiding hard foods.
The team at Superior Family Dental personalizes your TMJ treatment to you. If, for example, your TMJ disorder is caused by grinding your teeth at night, they fit you with a night guard to ease the strain on your jaw and relieve your pain. Alternately, the team might prescribe you a medication that targets the cause of your pain, whether that’s an anti-inflammatory or a muscle relaxant.
You don’t have to live with aching facial pain. To get started with your personalized TMJ treatment, call Superior Family Dental or make an appointment online today.