TMJ Treatment – Gainesville

Has your jaw been popping, clicking, or hurting when you chew your food or open your mouth? Do you experience frequent morning headaches and earaches? This could be a result of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder, also known as TMD. This is when your jaw joints aren’t functioning properly, leaving you with various uncomfortable symptoms. At Exceptional Dentistry & Sedation Center, we offer TMJ treatment to help you achieve relief. Continue reading to learn more about TMD and what we can do to help. To find out if it’s right for you, give us a call to schedule an appointment.

What Is TMJ Disorder?

Your TMJs are a set of small hinges located in front of your ears. This joint is what allows your lower jaw to move up and down as you speak, laugh, and talk. The TMJ is one of the most complex joints in the body, so it can be disturbed by a misaligned bite, teeth grinding, and other factors. When the TMJ is disturbed, this is called TMJ disorder.

Symptoms of TMJ Disorder

There are many unpleasant symptoms of TMD. Here are some of the most prominent ones that are experienced.

• Headaches: One of the most underdiagnosed causes of frequent headaches is TMD. The jaw muscles become tense, strained, and overworked, so it is easy for this to affect nearby muscles in the head.
• Ear Pain: Since the TMJ is located next to the ears, having a dysfunctional joint can easily result in ear pain. It can also cause ringing in the ears, called tinnitus.
• Face/Jaw Pain: Jaw stiffness and pain are the most common symptoms of TMD. It can be difficult to chew comfortably and lockjaw is very common.
• Bruxism: Teeth clenching and grinding can be caused by daily stress, a misalign bite, and TMD. It usually happens during sleep and can overwork the jaw muscles, leading to additional pain.

Types of TMJ Treatment

Depending on the cause of your TMD and how severe it is, there are a variety of treatment options available, here are some of the ones that we offer.

Occlusal Splint

An occlusal splint is a customized orthotic device that is worn to reduce the prevalence of TMD symptoms. Every device is a little bit different and is worn during sleep. It works by shifting the jaw into its ideal position to relieve your joints of additional strain and stress. It can also reduce the harmful effects of teeth grinding and clenching.

Equilibration/Occlusal Adjustment

If your TMD is caused by bite misalignment or an improperly placed restoration, we may suggest occlusal adjustments. During this time, we will strategically and gently reshape your teeth so that they come together in a more function manner that doesn’t cause your joints to be strained. Ultimately, this allows for the teeth to come together properly, the jaw muscles to relax, and TMD symptoms to subside.