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 TMJ disorders develop for many reasons. You might clench or grind your teeth, tightening your jaw muscles and stressing your TM joint. You may have a damaged jaw joint due to injury or disease. Injuries and arthritis can damage the joint directly or stretch or tear the muscle ligaments. As a result, the disk, which is made of cartilage and functions as the “cushion” of the jaw joint, can slip out of position. Whatever the cause, the results may include a misaligned bite, pain, clicking, or grating noise when you open your mouth or trouble opening your mouth wide.
An out of balance bite can cause a wide range of symptoms. You may be a good candidate for corrective bite treatment of your TMD if you experience any of the following on a regular basis:
- Headaches or migraines
- Pain or soreness around the jaw joints
- Neck, shoulder, facial or back pain
- Numbness in your fingers and arms
- Congestion or stuffiness of the ears
- Worn, chipped or cracked teeth or dental restorations
- Popping, clicking or grating sounds in the jaw joints
- Limited movement or locking jaw
- A shifting of your bite’s position
- Frequent need for root canals
Oftentimes, certain events can trigger an acute episode of a symptom to become more frequent or more intense. A thorough history can help to determine underlying causes that may have initiated these episodes.
It is very important to address these events in the early stages to avoid further harm to the jaw muscles and/or joints and prevent a more severe chronic condition.
Contact Lake Mary FL dentist Dr Falco for more about TMJ symptoms. |