Could Popping In Your Jaw Mean TMJ Disorder?

If you frequently experience popping or clicking in your jaw, or persistent discomfort, then you need to see our team for relief. With TMJ treatment, we can bring relief for people suffering from TMD or even chronic teeth grinding (bruxism). In today’s blog, your Columbia, TN, dentist talks about easing pain in your smile with TMJ treatment.

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The Causes and Risks of TMJ Disorder

What causes an issue like TMJ disorder to develop? The trouble starts when the joints connecting your jaw and skull become strained. This could be due to chronic teeth grinding (bruxism), missing teeth, misalignment, injury to your jaw or face, or even due to issues with the growth of the jaw or eruption of the teeth. Wisdom tooth impaction could be a factor too, as could high stress levels in your daily life.

When you develop this disorder, it could lead to daily discomfort and even alter how you open and close your mouth. You may experience soreness in the face, popping or clicking in the jaw, headaches and migraines, and even pain in the neck and shoulders. If you also grind your teeth, then persistent toothaches and sensitivity could follow.

The Diagnostic Process

If you have regular pain in your smile, then contact our team for a diagnosis. We will take a close look at your smile with advanced imaging systems, peering beneath the gums to look at underlying structures and tooth roots. We also examine the surfaces of your smile with intraoral cameras to identify the wear and friction on your teeth. From there, we can decide on the best course of treatment. For some, this could be a surgical solution to improve the overall balance of your bite, while for others we may offer relief with a simple oral appliance.

Treating Your TMD

The oral appliance is often the preferred choice, as this also helps prevent further damage from teeth grinding. Our team will take images of your bite to design and custom-fit an oral appliance, which will fit like a mouthguard. The appliance is worn while you sleep and once in place, this gently shifts your jaw to ease underlying stress and strain, so you avoid symptoms. This also prevents further damage by acting as a soft barrier between the upper and lower sets of teeth. The appliance is simple to use, easy to clean and maintain, and it can travel with you too.

If you have any questions about how we diagnose and treat issues like TMJ disorder and bruxism, then contact our team today to learn more.

Learn More About TMJ Treatment with Creekside Family Dentistry!

Our team wants to help bring relief to pain in and around your smile. Give us a call today at Creekside Family Dentistry in Columbia, TN at (931) 388-3384 to schedule your appointment.