Restorative Dentistry - In Your Local Area

What is TMJ Syndrome, Anyway?

The first symptom you may notice is that you can't eat a Big Mac anymore; it's just too big for your mouth.

Or you have a headache and your shoulders are stiff; the pain fluctuates from bothersome to excruciating.

Or chewing gum becomes torture, and you find yourself ordering soup and yogurt.

These are some of the signs of a TMJ disorder.

The term is a catchall for a variety of disorders relating to the temporomandibular joint-or TMJ-of the jaw.

The TMJ, which lies just in front of the ears, is a complex system of bone, cartilage, muscle and nerve that when working properly gives the jaw tremendous versatility and strength.

When the joint is abused by teeth grinding, injured by a blow to the jaw or head, or weakened by age, jaw pain can result. Stress, trauma, a bad bite, or arthritis can strain the jaw beyond design.

Dentists are more familiar today than in previous generations with the symptoms: jaw clicking, jaw popping, migraine, headache and the causes and treatments for the complex disorders.

A more stressful society is also taking its physical toll. The most dramatic research shows one in five Americans suffer from some degree of TMJ disorder. More conservative estimates put the number at one in 10.

However, many of those cases only may reveal themselves through a rather benign clicking or popping in the jaw.

In turn, the treatments prescribed by TMJ treatment clinics range from counseling and psychological therapy to splints and, in severe cases, surgery.

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.

TMJ Dentist Can Help End Your Headache, Neck and Jaw Pain!

TMJ dysfunction is a living nightmare for an estimated 50 million Americans who suffer from this distress. And the fact that many dentists and physicians fail to diagnose this disorder means that people are suffering needlessly and spending money on office visits and drugs that give them no relief. But there is hope when TMJ is diagnosed correctly.

Symptoms include head, neck, and back aches. You may also have earaches, bouts of deafness, or ringing in your ears. You may hear clicking and popping when you chew. Some patients experience dizziness, chronic fatigue, and difficulty swallowing. And it usually starts with jaw misalignment.

When there's an imbalance in the jaws, the muscles in the neck and shoulders try to compensate, causing pains and headaches that can't be relieved until the jaws are realigned.

How do dentists realign the jaws? With a special dental splint and by repositioning the teeth using grinding procedures to produce a better fit between the upper and lower teeth. In a small number of instances, surgery may be required.

If you or someone you love suffer from the symptoms of TMJ dysfunction, call your dentist's office and set up a consultation. It may end years of suffering and pain.

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.