TMJ Therapy

Do you suffer from tenderness in the jaw muscles, limited jaw opening, jaws that get stuck, unexplained facial or head pain, joint grating or clicking? Chances are you may be one of the sixty million North Americans who have a condition called temporomandibular joint disorder.

Temporomandibular joints are the muscles and jaw joints used to open and close your mouth. TMJ disorders can be caused by injury to the face and jaw regions, bite problems, grinding teeth, clenching your jaw, whiplash, and even poor posture resulting in damage to the joints or misalignment. Facial, tooth and ear aches as well as “clicking” in the jaw, headaches, neck shoulder and back pain can occur.

TMJ difficulties develop for many reasons. You might clench or grind your teeth, even without knowing it. This tightens your jaw muscles and stresses your TMJ. Maybe a bad bite caused by incorrect jaw growth has misaligned your jaw joint. A blow or injury to the face or jaws can easily displace or dislocate your jaw joint. Other causes of TMJ disorder include worn, loose or missing teeth, poorly fitting dentures or oral habits like pipe clenching and pen and pencil biting.

There's no simple prescription for TMJ problems. Restoring your jaw's harmony may require several kinds of treatments to reduce muscle tension, regain a stable bite, or rest and heal your jaw joint. Forms or treatment include physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medication, and bite guards. In more serious cases, were severe pain is persistent, surgery may be necessary.