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According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research over ten million people suffer from temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD/TMJ), and it is more common in women than men.

Temporomandibular joint disorder can be caused by trauma, a disease, aging or bad habits like grinding or clenching of the teeth. Some symptoms of TMD/TMJ include headache, tooth pain and sensitivity, ear pain, neck and shoulder pain, difficulty swallowing and dizziness.

Treatment for TMD/TMJ involves conservative therapies such as reducing stress, avoiding gum chewing and wide yawning, ice-packs applied to the painful area, jaw exercises to strengthen the involved muscles and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications.

More aggressive treatments such as orthodontics or surgery are also available. Successful temporomandibular joint disorder treatment requires the services of a dentist with training and skills in neuromuscular dentistry and experience in diagnosing the disorder.

The signs and symptoms of TMD/TMJ can be very complex and misleading as they can and do involve muscles, nerves, tendons, ligaments, bones and the teeth or any combination of these.

A diagnosis of temporomandibular joint disorder involves the taking of a detailed history and a very thorough examination. The treatment of choice will be determined by your dentist after a thoughtful study of the results of your history and examination, and will be tailored to your specific requirements.

If you would like to learn more about the practice of neuromuscular dentistry and what it can do for you, please contact a cosmetic dentist trained in this specialty in your area today.

Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD/TMJ) may be caused by an injury, a disease, aging or habits such as grinding or clenching the teeth (bruxism), that can alter the alignment of the teeth, and cause muscle spasms and inflammation.

The symptoms of TMD/TMJ are numerous and varied and can include head and facial pain, pain around the eyes, tooth pain and sensitivity, ear pain, dizziness, difficulty swallowing, neck and back pain, arm and hand tingling and pain, nausea and vomiting, and tinnitus (ringing in the ears). The pain associated with temporomandibular joint disorder increases with speaking, chewing or attempting to yawn.

There are cases in which TMD/TMJ is misdiagnosed as an ear infection, a tension or sinus headache or simply left undiagnosed.

The pain caused by temporomandibular joint disorder can be life-altering along with the clicking, grating and popping sounds and instances of your jaw locking in an open or closed position. Medications for pain do not treat the underlying cause of the pain when TMD/TMJ is involved.

A dentist skilled and experienced in neuromuscular dentistry can treat the cause of the pain and other symptoms associated with temporomandibular joint disorder after a thorough examination.

If you think you are suffering from TMD/TMJ and can benefit from an evaluation from a cosmetic dentist trained in neuromuscular dentistry, please contact a cosmetic dentist in your area today.

The temporomandibular joint connects the lower jaw to the skull in front of the ears and is composed of muscles, blood vessels, nerves and bones. There is a temporomandibular joint on each side of the jaw. The jawbone is controlled by the temporomandibular joints which have a hinge and gliding action.

TMD/TMJ or temporomandibular joint disorder refers to a medical condition involving the temporomandibular joint which can be caused by trauma, disease, aging, arthritis or habitual actions, such as teeth grinding or clenching.

TMD/TMJ causes chronic pain in the facial muscles and jaw, which can radiate to the neck and shoulders, arms and hands. The pain is present when talking, chewing or yawning. Clicking, grating and popping sounds can be heard when the temporomandibular joint moves, and your mouth and face may appear swollen. Your jaw may lock open or may not open at all and look deviated to one side.

The pain associated with TMD/TMJ has been described as sharp and searing or dull and constant. The practice of neuromuscular dentistry focuses on eliminating the causes of TMD/TMJ using the most advanced technologies available today, along with treatments designed to correct this condition.

If you believe you suffer from temporomandibular joint disorder, please contact a neuromuscular dentist in your area today that specializes in the treatment of this disorder.

Neuromuscular dentistry works with the hard tissues and soft tissues, muscles and nerves, while traditional or general dentistry concerns are focused on teeth, bones and gums.

Neuromuscular dentists believe when the jaw is misaligned, hard and soft tissues are affected and many and varied problems can result, such as headaches, jaw pain, neck and shoulder pain, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), ear pain, dizziness, tooth pain, numbness and tingling in the hands and arms, and clicking or popping sounds in the jaw joint.

Many Americans suffer from these symptoms and many cases go unresolved due to misdiagnoses or are simply dismissed as having no physical cause. In reality, many of these symptoms are associated with TMD/TMJ (temporomandibular joint disorder) or MPD (myofascial pain dysfunction).

The function of neuromuscular dentistry is to correct the bite and realign the jaw by determining the optimal position of the jaw. This is accomplished by measuring relaxed positions of the head and neck muscles and repositioning the jaw with certain treatment options to achieve the correct measurements. Treatment options include adjusting the bite, orthotics, orthodontics and restoring teeth to their naturally correct positions.

Neuromuscular dentistry can decrease or eliminate pain and discomfort and return the patient to better overall health.

If you believe neuromuscular dentistry can benefit you and help alleviate your problems, please contact a neuromuscular dentist in your area today.