When you have persistent pain in your head and jaw, this could be due to bruxism (teeth grinding) or a related disorder known as TMD, or TMJ disorder. Without treatment, these disorders could increase the risk of painful complications. Which is why we want to see you when you first exhibit symptoms! We can offer relief with an oral appliance, a comfortable and noninvasive solution. In today’s blog, your Lake Orion, MI, dentist talks about treatment with a custom oral appliance, so you can avoid discomfort and protect the overall health and stability of your smile for years to come!
TMJ Disorder and Bruxism
TMJ disorder occurs when the joints that connect your jaw and skull become strained, which places pressure on them. The strain could be due to factors like untreated bruxism, missing teeth, malocclusion, injury, or issues with the growth and development of your jaw and oral structures. Wisdom tooth eruption could also be a factor. The disorder could complicate how you open and close your mouth, and leads to painful symptoms like headaches, migraines, jaw pain, ear aches, facial aches, and pain in the neck and shoulders. There could also be a popping or clicking in your jaw.
Bruxism means you grind and clench your teeth during the night on a regular basis. The pressure could wear down enamel and crack or chip the teeth, increasing the risk of tooth decay and dental infection. Bruxism could be caused by high stress levels, and many of the same underlying factors as TMJ disorder. You may experience tooth sensitivity, toothaches, headaches, jaw and facial pain, and earaches.
Which means when you experience persistent discomfort in and around your smile, you should let us know right away so we can conduct an exam and find the right treatment process. We want to prevent issues that could threaten smile stability, and we can provide relief with a noninvasive and comfortable oral appliance system.
Oral Appliance Therapy
Treatment options vary, but we can often offer relief with an oral appliance. To begin, we will take detailed digital images of your smile from multiple angles. We use these in a lab setting to design and craft an oral appliance, one that is custom-fitted for your smile. The device will look and fit like a mouthguard, and is worn as you rest at night. When in place, the device helps reposition the jaw to ease TMJ disorder and offer relief from uncomfortable symptoms. For bruxism, the device places a barrier between the upper and lower sets of teeth, preventing damage to the teeth and safeguarding the smile. The appliance is easy to clean and store, and can travel with you as needed.
Other Holistic Treatments
Our team could also offer other holistic treatment options to bring relief and also repair the damage caused by these disorders, such as cracked, chipped, or worn-down teeth. When bruxism wears down and damages a tooth, this could increase the risk of tooth decay and infection, and also impact the appearance of your smile. With a metal-free ceramic crown, our team can create a restoration that repairs these teeth and offers a more attractive appearance, with materials that bond with the tooth and last for years to come. We could also discuss orthodontics with clear aligners to reposition misalignment and help prevent the underlying factors behind issues like TMD and bruxism. If you have missing teeth that upset bite balance and strain the bite, we could discuss replacement options, such as our holistic ceramic bridges, to fill the gaps and restore balance to your smile again. We want to help you enjoy better oral health and a more attractive smile, so contact our team soon.
In fact, with school soon to start, now is a great time to schedule a visit for a checkup and cleaning, so your little ones can start a new school year with a healthier smile. If you have any questions about how we diagnose and treat issues like TMJ disorder and bruxism, then contact our team today to learn more.
Schedule Your Family’s Checkup Visit Soon!
We don’t want you to develop jaw pain and damaged smiles, we can offer relief from teeth grinding and TMJ disorder with our custom and comfortable oral appliances. To schedule a visit for a custom oral appliance, call Lake Orion Family Dentistry at (248)693-6213! We want to help improve the overall health, beauty, and function of your smile, and we do so with a holistic approach using lifelike materials!
