When you have strain on your jaw joints, or an imbalanced bite, this could lead to the onset of TMJ disorder, also known as TMD. You could begin to experience headaches and jaw pain without treatment. Fortunately, your Des Moines, IA, dentist can offer a comfortable treatment option for issues like TMD.

The Causes of TMJ Disorder (and the Warning Signs)

When your jaw develops poor balance, this could place serious strain on your Temporomandibular joints. The pressure then leads to TMJ disorder, and with it a host of uncomfortable symptoms. Causes may include injury to the face or your jaw, teeth grinding, tooth loss, malocclusion, or dental misalignment. Without treatment, you could develop difficulty fully opening and closing your jaw, or symptoms like headaches, migraines, jaw pain, popping for crackling in the jaw, and aches in the neck or shoulders. If this strain causes you to develop teeth grinding, or is caused by it, you could also experience tooth sensitivity and toothaches. When you experience discomfort in your smile that continues to persist, let us know right away.

Easing Discomfort 

To help ease discomfort until we can see you, place a warm washcloth to the side of your face. You should also avoid chewy or hard foods, as the actions needed to consume them could further strain your smile. Try to cut back on caffeine too, and take an over-the-counter pain reliever to ease your pain. 

An Oral Appliance 

For some, we could correct misalignment with clear aligners, or use the placement of a crown to restore proper bite balance. We could even fill the gaps left by missing teeth with lifelike dental implants and custom-made prosthetics. But for most, we offer relief with an oral appliance. The device is custom-made for your smile based on detailed digital images and measurements we gather with an advanced imaging system. The appliance will look like a mouthguard, and is worn as you sleep. Once in place, the device will gently reposition your jaw to ease strain and prevent painful symptoms. If you grind your teeth, this also prevents damage by placing a barrier between your upper and lower sets of teeth. If you have any questions about how we treat issues like TMJ disorder and bruxism (teeth grinding), then contact our team today to learn more. We want to help you and your entire family enjoy good oral health in 2022.

TALK TO YOUR DES MOINES, IA DENTIST ABOUT EASING JAW JOINT STRAIN

We want to help people find relief for a strained jaw joint and imbalanced bite. If you would like to learn more, contact your Des Moines, IA, dentist, Dr. Burds, by calling 515-244-9565.