TMJ Treatment Services near Leander, Texas
We offer treatments here for TMJ at Live Oak Family Dental Care in Leander to help create happy and beautiful smiles!
Are you currently experiencing constant jaw pain? Did you know that jaw pain can be something that can be treated at a dentist’s office? Now you do! A condition that you might be experiencing might be TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint Disorder) pain. We can offer you a customized treatment plan here at Live Oak Family Dental Care that allows you to find relief from your symptoms. Here’s what you should know about TMJ!
What is TMJ Disorder?
Learning more about TMJ will help you better understand this very common disorder. This disorder affects over 10 million people in the United States. Your jaw joints are very complex and moves in different directions. Your jaw allows you to perform everyday habits like chewing food and talking. When a problem occurs that gets in the way of your jaw joints performing their day-to-day functions, problems start. Yikes! TMJ Disorder varies, so you may be experiencing a little bit or a lot of pain. If treatment for TMJ doesn’t happen in a timely manner, symptoms tend to get worse. The exact cause of a patient’s TMJ disorder is often difficult to determine. Your pain could be the cause of a combination of factors such as: genetics, arthritis or an injury.
TMJ Symptoms:
Some common symptoms associated with TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint Disorder) includes: clicking of the jaw, headaches, earaches, pain when opening the mouth wide and overall pain in the jaw muscles. If you are experiencing one of these symptoms, you will also be experiencing some level of pain. TMJ Disorder can get in the way of your everyday happiness, which is why we would recommend you ask your general dentist for pain relief help. They will be able to help you out with gradually decreasing pain and improve your quality of life. Here are some more symptoms you should know about:
- Popping sounds
- Tooth pain
- Stuck open or stuck closed
- Can be related to having pain in the neck
- Can be related to pain eating, speaking,
- Can be related to clenching, grinding
- Can be related to stress
- Pain or tenderness of your jaw
- Pain in one or both of the temporomandibular joints
- Aching pain in and around your ear
- Aching facial pain
What Causes TMJ Disorder?
In many cases, the actual cause of this TMJ may not always be clear. Some common causes of Temporomandibular Joint Disorder include being involved in some type of accident that causes your jaw to be dislocated, pressure on the jaw by clenching your teeth, etc. Sometimes the main cause is too much strain on the jaw joints and the muscle group that controls chewing, swallowing, and speech. This strain may be due to another condition called Bruxism. Bruxism is a problem in which you unconsciously grind or clench your teeth. You may clenching and grinding your teeth all throughout the day with Bruxism.
Can a General Dentist Treat TMJ?
Yes, a general dentist can treat their patients who have been diagnosed with TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint Disorder). A general dentist already understands how the jaw functions and can therefore offer patients who are suffering from TMJ Disorder a few different types of treatment options. Patients who are experiencing severe TMJ pain may need to be referred to an orthodontist for further treatment if general dentistry treatment options do not work. Depending, TMJ could be the case of a misaligned bite. This case would include starting orthodontic treatment such as metal braces or Invisalign.
The below list includes common treatments general dentists will use to treat their TMJ patients who are in pain:
- Implants
- Fillings
- Crowns
- Bridges
- Bite Correcting Orthotics
- Mouth Guards to reduce teeth grinding at Night
- Orthodontics: Braces, Invisalign, etc.
Are You Currently Suffering from TMJ Pain?
We completely understand how suffering from TMJ pain can get in the way of your being able to properly function during your day. TMJ Disorder is a common problem that many of us face. When you are in pain, we understand how it could be difficult to think about anything else. Understand that there are options available to you at Live Oak Family Dental Care so you no longer have to suffer from TMJ-related pain. If you have any questions we can answer for you about TMJ treatment, please give us a call at (512)259-1250! If you need to make an appointment, you can make one online as well!
Contact Live Oak Family Dental Care Today
Dr. Jackeline Argandoña has been helping patients take care of their dental health in Leander and all over Central Texas! She’s completed advanced training and is up-to-date with the latest techniques and therapies. As a team, we’re committed to making sure you feel confident in your dental care before you commit to a treatment. Let us know how we can help! We’re happy to answer any questions about iTero 3D Scanners.