Signs You May Need Treatment for TMJ Disorder

TMJ disorder is a serious condition that you should keep an eye on. Your dentist can check for signs and symptoms of this disorder. There are also treatments available to give you the relief you need. However, you do not need to wait to go to the dentist’s office to know that you have problems in this area of your jaw. Paying attention to the effects of this condition can help you to know when to seek treatments.

An overview of TMJ

The temporomandibular joint is located in the jaw, connecting the jawbone to the skull. This sliding joint is on each side of the face. It controls muscle movements and can suffer a lot of wear and tear. When there is pain in this joint, TMJ disorder may be present. The exact causes are not always clear, but the effects can be debilitating.

The dentist will diagnose this ailment by taking X-rays or observing the person’s range of motion of the jaw. The dentist may even listen for sounds as the person opens and close their mouth. Treating this disorder can start with managing the pain and discomfort. The dentist may do this with pain medication or muscle relaxants. Physical therapy, injections, or joint surgery may also treat the condition.

Pain and tenderness

Jaw pain does not automatically mean the person has TMJ disorder. But this is a common symptom of the condition. The pain can be constant and increase in intensity. The jaw may even be tender to the touch. These feelings might be most extreme when the person is speaking or eating. Even yawning or not moving the jaw at all can cause pain.

Earaches

The pain associated with TMJ can even affect the person’s ears. The joint runs close to the ears, so discomfort here is common when the joint is injured. The pain can be in one or both ears. The aching pain can extend beyond the ears above, around, or below them too.

Difficulty chewing

The TMJ plays a crucial role in chewing. Under normal circumstances, a person should not have any discomfort in this area while eating. However, a sign of the disorder is that the person might not be able to chew without being in pain. It could even hurt to chew soft foods.

Joint locking

Most people probably rarely think about the mechanisms that help to open and close the mouth. However, TMJ disorder can make this routine activity difficult. This happens because the joint locks, making it painful or even impossible to open the mouth fully. As a result, the person may avoid speaking or eating.

Benefits of getting TMJ treatments

TMJ disorders are problems in the jaw that impact an individual in many ways. Pain and discomfort can affect one’s daily activities. TMJ disorders can prevent an individual from maintaining self-esteem. Getting the right treatments can bring the following benefits:

• It can help promote better sleep. Chronic pain from a TMJ disorder can make it difficult for the individual to sleep. Jaw tenderness can make it difficult to get a proper sleeping position. The clicking sound of the jaw can even bother the one sharing the room or the bed at night. Having a TMJ treatment can help the patient sleep better.
• It can prevent the development of other chronic diseases. Some people experience jaw pain, which may lead to other chronic pains like headaches. Treating TMJ disorders can reduce the overlapping pain that a person experiences.
• It can protect the other teeth and dental restorations. Teeth are at risk of wearing down or breaking. TMJ disorders can cause teeth to become smaller. Temperature sensitivity can also happen. Restorations might break or wear down if the patient has a TMJ disorder. Proper treatment can prevent these from happening.
• It can relieve jaw pain. This is the most common symptom of TMJ disorders. There is pain because the jaw is not functioning well. The pain in the joint may be associated with a locked jaw or irregular jaw motion.
• It results in taking less medication. Taking frequent pain medications can result in dependence. A TMJ treatment can relieve the pain. The patient does not need to take pain relievers anymore. This can reduce the number of medications the patient takes every day.

Know when to get help and treatment for this disorder

Having TMJ disorder should not be a surprise. This is not a condition that sneaks up on you out of the blue. The dentist can diagnose it at an appointment, but there are clear signs that you are suffering from it. If any of these symptoms sound familiar, talk to your dentist. You can get relief today.

Request an appointment here: https://ericlarsondds.com or call Eric A. Larson DDS at (801) 871-8983 for an appointment in our Salt Lake City office.

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