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  • TMJ Awareness Month

TMJ Awareness Month

Celebrating TMJ Awareness Month

Happy TMJ Awareness Month. To bring awareness to this popular issue, our dentist instructs you to do the following. First, place your index fingers on either side of your face, just in front of your ears. Then, our dentist in Pinellas Park FL instructs you to open and shut your lips gently. So, the rounded ends of your jawbone are gliding through the sockets in your temporal bones or the lower lateral portions of your skull that encompass your inner ears and temples.

Additionally, our Pinellas Park dentist explains that the temporomandibular joints (TMJs) are two movable hinges that link either side of your jawbone to your skull. As follows, your TMJs let your jaw to move back and forth and side to side when you eat, in addition to allowing you to open your mouth easily.

However, TMJ dysfunction is a persistent and frequently painful disease that can limit jaw mobility and make it difficult to eat regularly and speak clearly for an estimated 10 million individuals in the United States. Here’s everything you need to know.

Recognizing TMJ Problems 

Your jaws move easily, smoothly, and pleasantly when your temporomandibular joints are healthy and in good operating condition. As follows, our Pinellas Park FL dentist explains that damaged or dysfunctional temporomandibular joints, can cause a wide range of symptoms. These range from jaw and face discomfort to recurring headaches.

Additionally, TMJ issues can develop when the cartilage that cushions the jawbone in its socket deteriorates due to wear and strain, such as arthritis. Also, they can also form as a result of a severe injury to the tiny, shock-absorbing disc that allows for fluid jawbone movement. If you’re looking for TMJ treatment near me, look no further. We’re here to help.

Furthermore, we worked with our friends at Bookcliff Family Dental, Grand Junction dentist, to identify the most common reasons of TMJ pain.

  • Grinding or clenching of the teeth (bruxism)
  • An incorrectly positioned jaw or bite
  • Joint degeneration caused by arthritis
  • Erosion or misalignment of the discs
  • Joint or disc injury caused by an impact

While any dysfunction within your TM joints’ complex system of bones, muscles, ligaments, and discs can cause persistent jaw and face discomfort, certain TMJ problems develop without an evident or recognizable underlying cause.

Recognizing TMJ Disorder Symptoms

TMJ dysfunction manifests as in some people as an audible clicking or popping feeling in their jaws when they talk, chew, or open their lips. Although these noises and feelings may be alarming or even unpleasant, they are usually painless—at least at first.

TMJ dysfunction is often accompanied by some degree of jaw discomfort or face pain, either of which may (or may not) be followed by acute pain in one or both of the TM joints. The following are some of the most common symptoms of TMJ disorder:

  • Jaw muscles that are stiff or too tight
  • Pain radiating from the jaw, cheek, or neck
  • Tenderness in the area of one or both ears
  • Chewing difficulty or discomfort
  • Pain or sensitivity in the teeth

TMJ Dysfunction Diagnosis

Dr. Wade has vast expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of TMJ and its accompanying problems. She may have you bite down on a dental probe to evaluate your jaw strength or open your mouth as wide as you can to examine your TM joint range of motion after gently pushing on your TM joints to look for symptoms of abnormal joint erosion, muscle pain, and inflammation.

Dr. Wade may also feel and listen to your TM joints while you open and shut your mouth for abnormal motion, clicking, and popping.

Identifying successful TMJ treatments

Although the underlying cause of your problem and the severity of your symptoms dictate your unique TMJ treatment approach, the great majority of TMJ disorders respond favorably to a mix of conservative care options.

Over-the-counter pain medicines can help you sleep better at night and take the edge off chronic agony. However, if you choose to avoid medication, ice packs or moist heat can also give significant relief.

Switching to a soft diet temporarily reduces inflammation and pain. This allows your jaws to relax, and knowing how to massage and stretch your jaw muscles will help you relax.

Contact Us Today

We can assist you if you are ready to put an end to persistent jaw discomfort. Contact our Pinellas Park dental office to schedule.