A troubled bite and jaw joint can cause jaw discomfort, sore facial muscles, headaches, popping or clicking joints, and worn-down teeth. At Prostho Endo Dental Group, TMJ/TMD treatment starts with looking closely at how the bite and jaw joint work with each other, and with the muscles, teeth, and overall oral structure. For North Bethesda, MD, patients, this means finding out why the jaw is strained, instead of just relieving discomfort symptoms for a short while. Using a careful exam and a function-based treatment method, we assist patients in getting relief, saving their teeth, and improving the way their bite and bite movement feel.
Understanding The Bite & Jaw Relationship
The temporomandibular joints let your lower jaw move when you talk, eat, yawn, and rest. The muscles and how the teeth fit together work with these joints. When the bite fits well, jaw movement can feel smooth and natural. If the bite is crooked, tight, or not stable, the jaw joint and muscles may adjust in a way that creates jaw discomfort.
TMJ and TMD symptoms are not always problems of the jaw joints themselves. A person may have jaw discomfort, for example, but the cause might be teeth position, dental restorations that are worn, tooth loss, or teeth grinding, or tense jaw muscles. That is why we give you such a thorough dental exam. Knowing how your bite works lets us treat you for the cause instead of just treating symptoms.
TMJ Disorders: Signs & Symptoms
TMJ disorders can show up differently, from person to person. A person may have a jaw joint that sometimes clicks and pops, while someone else may have daily discomfort or stiffness and may not be able to fully open or close their jaw. The symptoms might be more noticeable at stressful times, after a change in dental care, or when clenching and grinding teeth become more frequent.
Other symptoms might include:
- Soreness or stiffness in the jaw.
- Clicking, popping, or shifting in the jaw.
- Headaches or facial muscles that feel strained.
- Not being able to comfortably open or close your mouth.
- Tooth sensitivity from clenching and grinding.
- Teeth that are worn down, chipped, or flattened.
- Pressure in the ear or ear discomfort without an ear infection.
Because the symptoms may show up along with other dental or health issues, it is crucial to get a correct diagnosis. At Prostho Endo Dental Group, our goal is to figure out the full scope of symptoms before treatment is recommended.
Evaluating Imbalances Of The Bite
The start of a TMJ/TMD exam is hearing what the patient has to say. Knowing when the problems started, what causes more of the symptoms, and how those symptoms affect day-to-day life all offer useful information. The dental exam can also include checking jaw movement, where sore muscles are located, how the bite fits together, how much the teeth are worn, dental restorations, and teeth clenching or grinding.
If the dental team needs more information, digital imaging, photos, and x-rays can be used to check the health of the teeth, bone, restorations, and jaw structure. The dental exam helps the dental team determine how all the parts of the mouth are functioning together. Instead of treating the TMJ/TMD concerns as a problem with one area only, the dental exam considers the entire jaw joint and chewing system.
Getting this kind of thorough exam is important for those who have a history of bite issues, extensive dental work, tooth loss, or jaw joint discomfort that has no explanation. By identifying bite imbalances earlier on, treatment will be more targeted and will work toward function over the long term.
How Occlusion Impacts Joint Health
Occlusion describes how the top and bottom teeth fit together when the mouth is closed and moving. If some teeth are hitting too hard, the bite is not right, or if the jaw needs to move out of place because of an interference, the muscles and the joints have to work extra hard. This strain can cause problems like discomfort, inflammation, worn teeth, and joint discomfort over time. A proper, healthy bite should be distributed to the teeth and the jaw joints.
When the balance of a bite shifts, it can produce symptoms in a range of severity, making prosthodontic considerations important in treating the temporomandibular joint (TMJ/TMD) disorders. For example, if a patient has restorations, crowns, bridges, implants, worn, or fractured teeth, and they all come together to bite and function, this occlusion can affect TMJ/TMD.
At Prostho Endo Dental Group, we evaluate the functioning of the bite as it moves to determine if a bite imbalance or shift is a possible contributing factor to your discomfort and what could help to stabilize your situation.
Helping To Manage Jaw Discomfort & Muscle Tension
When the jaw is in discomfort, the muscles are usually involved in the discomfort as well. These muscles are the ones used to control movements of the jaws to chew and are sometimes used in clenching or grinding, stress and anxiety, and even in holding your teeth in an unstable bite or jaw position. Often, the muscles become overworked as a result of those factors.
When muscle discomfort or jaw discomfort occurs in a TMJ/TMD, treatments can be directed to relieve this muscle overwork, correct any instability of the bite, and protect teeth from excessive strain.
Some patients may benefit from wearing an oral appliance, such as a custom oral splint, to relax the jaw muscles, help with the grinding damage to the teeth, or help find a new comfortable resting position for the jaws. Other patients may benefit from bite adjustments or restorative work to help with bite function or to help protect and stabilize their teeth. Depending on the cause of your discomfort, a specific treatment path is recommended.
In all cases of TMJ/TMD care and treatment, we want to help provide not only relief of your discomfort, but also help your jaws to work in a position of less strain.
Helping To Protect Your Teeth From Excessive Wear
Many TMJ/TMD patients have evidence of their clenching and grinding issues before they become aware they have a problem. Their teeth may be wearing down, they may have chips and cracks, tooth sensitivity to temperature may be present, and the bite may have shifted. Dental restorations and crowns may loosen, fracture, or break from wear. Your teeth may be wearing down, affecting the appearance of your smile.
Protecting your teeth is a major part of TMJ/TMD treatment. If you have existing discomfort, a custom oral appliance or an adjustment to an existing oral appliance may need to be done to reduce stress in the teeth. In addition, the bite may need a closer look and restorative corrections. This is of particular importance to patients in North Bethesda, MD, if their bite has been affected by previous work, tooth wear, fractures, missing teeth, or other factors.
A Customized Approach For Lasting Relief
TMJ/TMD treatment is most successful when a one-size-fits-all approach is not used for a one-size-fits-all case. Rather than a treatment done for a one-size-fits-all case, each patient presents with a combination of signs and symptoms, bite patterns, tooth wear patterns, muscle activity, and tooth history. Prostho Endo Dental Group provides patients with a customized set of treatment recommendations based on their findings during evaluation.
Depending on patient needs, this may include appliance therapy, occlusal analysis, occlusal refinement, restorative work, and other treatment plans. In complex cases, it may include restoring the shape and size of teeth, or restoring height and support in order to help the teeth and jaws function in a more comfortable manner, or it may include treatment provided by other medical professionals. The plan will be presented in ways that are understandable and will be practical to help improve the patient’s dental and overall health.
Helping To Relieve Discomfort With The Proper Treatment
Ultimately, TMJ/TMD treatment is successful when it is understood as a treatment of not only the TMJ/TMD, but as an integration of your dental health and dental comfort. Prostho Endo Dental Group helps patients with a comprehensive approach to evaluating the issues of the bite, the strain in the jaws, and the condition of the teeth in order to help the patient understand and make appropriate treatment decisions.
TMJ/TMD can be relieved, and a smile can be healthier and more comfortable for patients when the proper restorative knowledge is employed with endodontic knowledge to provide an understanding of the occlusion and the muscles and joints that affect the comfort and stability of your smile.