Temporomandibular joint disorder, also known as TMJ or TMJD, refers to a wide variety of symptoms in regards to your jaw joints. The symptoms of TMJD vary widely from person to person, but can include the following:
- Jaw pain
- Clicking
- Popping
- Locking joints
- Inability to open your mouth fully
- Inability to close your mouth fully
- Headaches
- Neck aches
- Shoulder pain
- Tinnitus
- Tooth sensitivity
- Cracked teeth
- Worn teeth
In order to diagnose TMJD, Dr. Scott Jordan will look for signs such as wear, bite marks on the insides of your cheeks, and ask you about your symptoms. When left untreated, TMJD can often become more painful and even require surgery.
Often a clenching or grinding habit, called bruxism, can cause jaw pain and dysfunction. Most people are not even aware that they have a grinding habit, especially if it occurs at night. Some common signs that your teeth have been working overtime while you sleep include morning headaches, tooth sensitivity, and bite marks on the insides of your cheeks.
Dr. Jordan will assess your condition and determine the best course of treatment. For many people, that may mean wearing a nightguard. Nightguards provide relief by creating a barrier between your upper and lower teeth. They are slim, custom designed covers that fit over your upper or lower teeth. Many people find that they become accustomed to wearing a nightguard quite quickly and actually sleep better and wake up feeling better.
To get started, we will take impressions and a bite registration to determine the correct fit for your nightguard. Next, we send it to our trusted dental lab that will create your nightguard out of acrylic. When we receive it, we will fit it to your opposing teeth by making minor adjustments so that the fit is comfortable and even.
Your nightguard can allow your jaw to relax while you sleep so that you wake up feeling much better in the morning.
If you have jaw pain or clicking, contact us to schedule a jaw evaluation. We may be able to provide you relief with a non-invasive, comfortable nightguard.