Cosmetic Dentistry Directory Blog
Cosmetic Dentistry Directory
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
TMD/TMJ Temporomandibular Joint Disorder Treatment
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.
posted by Anonymous at 4:42 PM
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