The TMJ is incredibly necessary when it comes to eating, chewing and simply opening and closing your mouth to speak. When the joint becomes inflamed or painful, you may find that it gets in the way of living your best life. Some problems to look for concerning the TMJ include:

• Clicking, popping or grinding of the jawbone
• Inability to open your mouth fully without pain or discomfort
• Inflammation and tenderness
• Earaches that are otherwise unexplained
• Difficulty chewing and biting into your favorite foods
• Locking of the jaw
  

We will thoroughly examine the TMJ area when you come into our office. We not only listen for any unusual sounds when you open and close your mouth, but we'll monitor and check for range of motion and palpate the muscles associated with the TMJ. If it's found that you have problems with your TMJ, we will sit with you to discuss your options. Each patient is different in what will work best for them, and we are happy to provide you with the care that you need.

In some cases, TMJ problems resolve on their own and are simply temporary. If the pain, discomfort and swelling persists, we'll often recommend a bite splint or Botox treatment in to the affected muscles. Bruxism guards are the most common way to alleviate TMD. This can be a great option to wear at night while sleeping but not all TMD discomfort is associated with night time grinding/clenching. Treatment of the muscles associated with TMJ such as masseter, temporalis, and deep masseter muscles with neurotoxin is an easy and very effective way to alleviate TMD symptoms. Neurotoxin treatments in this area can also improve symptoms of chronic headaches or migraines and prevent tooth wear and loss from extreme bruxism.

If you think you might benefit from TMJ treatments, call our office today and we can get you in for an appointment.