By Arthur Kezian
Are you suffering from TMJ pain with each and every bite? Do you have frequent headaches? Are you having trouble sleeping or feeling excessive stress in your life? All of these symptoms may the result of strain on your TMJ joint. Bruxism, which is a medical term for excess teeth clenching and grinding, is a relatively common condition that can cause these symptoms. Although this is not a dangerous disorder, it can make life significantly uncomfortable and may lead to permanent tooth damage.
Are you suffering from TMJ pain with each and every bite? Do you have frequent headaches? Are you having trouble sleeping or feeling excessive stress in your life? All of these symptoms may the result of strain on your TMJ joint. Bruxism, which is a medical term for excess teeth clenching and grinding, is a relatively common condition that can cause these symptoms. Although this is not a dangerous disorder, it can make life significantly uncomfortable and may lead to permanent tooth damage.
If you are experiencing TMJ pain, Dr. Kezian can evaluate you to identify if there is an underlying dental problem affecting your joint. Dr. Kezian and staff can create a treatment plan for you that alleviate your symptoms.
What Is TMJ Pain?
If you open your mouth all the way and then shut it again, you have used your temporo-mandibular joint or TMJ joint. It consists of a disc of cartilage that sits between the temporal bone of the skull and the lower jaw bone or mandible. If the cartilaginous disc is displaced, this can place pressure on the joint or nearby sensory nerves. This may cause pain. In addition, if the surrounding muscles spasm, this can also cause discomfort. Symptoms that suggest TMJ related pain include temple, cheek or ear pain, sore jaw muscles, locking of your jaw or sharp pain when you chew or swallow.
There are many ways to damage the TMJ joint. Trauma or excess gum chewing can do this. One of the most common causes is teeth clenching or bruxism. Bruxism is often related to stress and can be exacerbated by an abnormal bite or missing teeth. Patients often don’t realize they are clenching or holding their teeth tightly together. Also, teeth grinding or sliding of the teeth against each other, often occurs while the patient is sleeping and unaware. Long term grinding may permanently damage your teeth.
How Do You Treat TMJ Pain?
TMJ Pain can be treated initially by lifestyle changes such as eliminating gum chewing, eating soft foods and applying heat to the surrounding muscles two times a day. If TMJ pain is due to bruxism, reducing stress can relieve some symptoms. Importantly, because bruxism can lead to teeth damage, seeking a consultation with a dentist is imperative. Treatment options include a mouth guard or splint to be worn at night to prevent grinding and ultimately damage to the teeth. There are different types of mouth guards available. If you suffer from TMJ pain, you can schedule a consultation with Dr. Kezian.
Dr. Arthur A. Kezian DDS DDS 443 N. Larchmont Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90004 (323) 467-2777
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