TMJ Treatment in the Carlisle & Newville Area
According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, between 5% and 12% of Americans have some sort of temporomandibular joint and muscle disorder pain (TMJD). TMJ can present itself as chronic pain in the jaw or face, headaches, and earaches and can be disruptive to your quality of comfort while eating, sleeping, or during daily activities. This pain usually radiates from the two TM joints on either side of your jaw and can make chewing, speaking or sleeping difficult.
Some symptoms of TMJ include:
- Pain in or around the ear
- Pain and tenderness in the jaw and surrounding muscles
- Chronic headaches and neck pain
- Pain in jaw when chewing, speaking or yawning
- Clicking and popping noises when opening your mouth
- Difficulty chewing
- Sensitive teeth with no other dental problems present
How can your dentist help with TMJ problems?
Diagnosing the source of your TMJ problems is the first step to treating the problem. Your dentist can help discover the source of your TMJ pain by examining your dental health and taking x-rays to discover any problems that may be causing or worsening your pain.
If your TMJ pain is being caused by oral health problems such as crowded teeth, impacted wisdom teeth, and bite issues, they can layout a treatment plan to help reduce the discomfort and pain.
Most of the time a simple explanation of your symptoms along with an examination by your dentist is enough to provide your dentist with enough information to diagnose and treat your TMJ pain.
Once the problem or problems is diagnosed, your dentist will suggest a plan for treatment options that can help to reduce your discomfort. Sometimes these treatments and suggestions are conservative and can be as simple as a better oral hygiene routine or educating on how reducing the time you spend clenching your teeth can help with TMJ pain.
If you’re experiencing TMJ pain in the Carlisle, Boiling Springs, and Newville area, you can contact us at 717.243.9020 to set-up a consultation with our team to discuss how dental issues may be causing your TMJ pain.
