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TMJ Treatment Near McKinney

What is the temporomandibular joint?

The temporomandibular joint, commonly referred to as TMJ, is a joint connecting the jawbone to the skull. It’s located between your ear and upper teeth. It is known as the TMJ because it comprises two separate joints: the temporomandibular joint and the mandibular joint.

The temporomandibular joints allow the lower jaw to move in a wide variety of movements, such as opening and closing the mouth, talking, and chewing. This important joint is also quite sensitive, and when something goes wrong with it, you may suffer from a range of unpleasant symptoms. In the event that you suffer from TMJ disorder, Sloan Creek Dental is here to help you find long-lasting relief from your severe pain via TMJ therapy near McKinney, TX.

What are TMJ Disorders?

Pain and discomfort in the temporomandibular joints can happen to anyone and at any time. Symptoms can arise after a traumatic event to the jaw or its joints, such as falling or a sports injury, or it can be due to long-standing issues such as clenching and grinding of the teeth.

TMJ dysfunction has a variety of causes and symptoms. Often, a TMJ problem creates achy and sore jaws, and as a result, the pain is often masked as headaches, sinus pain, sensitivity in the back teeth, and even earaches. This is because the ligaments, nerves, and muscles around the TMJ are interconnected, and if the jaw joint is inflamed, it can cause facial pain and affect your quality of life.

In some situations, the symptoms of TMJ disorders may go away without treatment. This may be because the TMJ and its surrounding structures have healed. But more commonly, a chronic TMJ issue that suddenly goes away indicates that your body has adapted to the joint dysfunction and only masked the issue.

Why Choose Sloan Creek Dental for TMJ/TMD Therapy

In-House Treatment Options Available

Experienced Team of Dentists

Comprehensive Diagnosis and Treatment Available

Causes of TMJ Disorders

There can be many causes of TMJ pain. Your risk of developing the temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) rises if you have a lot of stress or are extremely sensitive to pain. The most common causes of TMJ and TMD include:

  • Bruxism (teeth grinding): Some people grind or clench their teeth at night while sleeping. This involuntary activity puts enormous pressure on the joint, resulting in inflammation and accelerated tooth wear.
  • Arthritis of the temporomandibular joint
  • Displacement or dislocation of the disk: The TMJ or articular disk lies between the jawbone (mandible) and the socket that can become displaced, dislocated or damaged, causing damage and chronic pain.
  • Trauma: An injury to any part of the jaw can cause jaw pain in the joint.
  • Stress: Painful spasms and trouble moving the jaw are sometimes the result of stress.
  • Poor Posture: Poor posture such as not standing straight or being hunched over a computer strains the neck and jaw.
  • Bad Teeth / Tooth Loss: Results in uneven chewing, putting stress on the jawline.

Common Symptoms of TMJ Disorder

When you suffer from temporomandibular disorder, it can cause both short-term and long-term pain and discomfort. The most common TMJ symptoms include:

  • Experience pain in or around the ear
  • Frequent headaches or neck pain
  • Pain or pressure spreading behind the eyes
  • Facial pain, jaw, neck or shoulders
  • Limited mouth motions when opening the mouth
  • Popping or clicking noises  of the jaw while opening or closing the mouth
  • Having trouble chewing
  • Jaw joint discomfort or locking of the jaw
  • Dizziness
  • Teeth sensitivity without any oral health disease
  • Numbness or tingling feeling in the fingers
  • A change in the way the upper and lower teeth fit together
  • An uncomfortable bite / bad bite
 
The symptoms of Temporomandibular Joint Disorder may resemble other medical conditions or health problems. Consider speaking to a dentist or healthcare provider about your symptoms for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.

TMJ Treatment Near McKinney

If you have difficulty opening your mouth, experience TMJ pain, have jaw pain when closing or opening your mouth, have chronic headaches, or any of the other symptoms we’ve mentioned, we may be able to help with effective treatment. At Sloan Creek Dental, we offer a comprehensive TMJ evaluation to determine the root cause of the pain and discomfort you are experiencing. Based on what we find during the exam, we will recommend one or more treatment options to manage your pain. TMJ therapy options may include oral splints, physical therapy, and or medications.

  • Oral splints / Oral Appliance: An Oral splint is like a mouth guard (night guard) worn over either your upper or lower teeth to create more favorable positioning of the jaw joints and to relieve stress.  For TMJ pain that results from a traumatic event, a special temporary splint to help even out your misaligned bite while your joints are healing is often all that is needed. Other times, a permanent splint is worn for a longer period of time during the day and or night may be necessary to alleviate your symptoms.
  • Physical therapy:  Sometimes, the source of TMJ discomfort can be from one or more muscles of the head and neck region. If so, warm and/or cold compresses and special exercises that stretch and strengthen muscles may help. During your TMJ exam, we will determine if your muscles are the issue and come up with customized therapies for you to implement.
  • Medications:  Prescription and over-the-counter medications may help, especially for people whose TMJ issues have just begun. Depending on the severity of your condition and your diagnosis, your treatment plan may include muscle relaxants, steroids, anti-inflammatories, and anesthetics.

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder Dentist near McKinney

Our friendly and compassionate dental team is here to help you provide the dental care you want to improve your oral health. If you find yourself suffering and need to seek TMJ treatment in McKinney, TX, Dr. Feng can help provide pain relief for your TMJ. During your consultation, we’ll thoroughly review your symptoms, discuss your treatment options to determine the cause of your TMJ disorder, and recommend the appropriate treatment for jaw pain depending on the severity of the symptom. 

If you’re interested in learning more about our TMJ/TMD treatment near McKinney, TX, we provide complimentary consultations so you can find out if we’re the right place for you without cost or obligation. Our dental office is located in Fairview, Texas, and our patients with TMJ disorder visit us from across the surrounding areas, including Allen, Plano, McKinney, and Lucas.

COMPREHENSIVE DENTAL Care FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY

Just about anything you need under one roof. Your Fairview dentist near Allen and McKinney has your family covered.