Find Relief From Painful, Bothersome Symptoms with TMJ Disorder Treatment
Malocclusion, also known as a “bad bite”, may be the the most likely culprit of a series of conditions related to temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), including migraine headaches, popping sounds in the jaw joint, vertigo, and ear discomfort or itching. When your teeth come together badly — whether it’s via incorrect dental treatment, getting your dad’s dental genes, bad habits or sports injuries — it can make your daily life miserable. Thankfully, malocclusion is fixable and we are proud to offer individualized TMJ disorder treatment at our Slidell practice.
TMJS is actually something about 60 million Americans have.
For many years, the idea that a migraine headache was linked to the jaw joint was not taken seriously. But now it appears the medical and dental communities are of like mind that TMJS and chronic headaches/migraines are linked.
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At Oak Harbor Family Dentistry in Slidell, LA, we provide TMJ treatment for our patients suffering from painful symptoms. TMJ disorder can cause headaches, muscle pain, joint pain, and a whole host of dental problems. Dr. Michael Appleton can appropriately diagnose your condition and recommend the best method of treatment.
In fact, many patients spent many years on the medical merry-go-round before they finally made an appointment at our practice, frequently as a final option. That is simply because many individuals do not recognize that their symptoms are related to malocclusion.
Research from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine examined the existence of TMJD in 24 patients referred to a neurology medical office. The goal was to determine the percentage of individuals referred to a neurology center for headaches where TMJD is the foremost cause of pain. They discovered that 11 out of the 24 individuals with headaches had TMJD. That percentage, nearly fifty percent is viewed as a high proportion when compared to the 15 percent in the general population of TMJD sufferers.
As proof continues to mount regarding the relationship between headaches and TMJD, patients who feel they have this problem should talk with Dr. Appleton. Our staff and doctors have been to advanced training in this treatment and can offer care from basic dental bonding to full mouth reconstruction.
Signs or Symptoms of TMJ
- Clicking or popping when yawning
- Excessive yawning as you try to adjust your jaw
- Severe headaches and/or migraines
- Light headedness
- Pain in jaw muscles
- Itching ears
- Jaw from time to time locks up when yawning
- Spasm or cramps in the jaw area
A couple other symptoms that might not seem connected to malocclusion include neck, back or shoulder pain. While discomfort in this area might seem unrelated to the jaw, individuals suffering from malocclusion are prone to repeatedly tilt their heads, compelling the muscles of the back, neck and shoulders to compensate.
Tingling or numbness in the hands and arms could also be an unexpected sign of TMJ disorder. The symptoms most likely are from nerves in your arms and hands being squeezed by muscle spasms in the neck, shoulders and face.
Finally, to add insult to injury, you can develop chronic depression after years of constant low-level pain.
If you have one or more of these symptoms, talk to Dr. Appleton. Our own treatment usually includes no pills, zero shots, zero surgery, and no adverse reactions. We are able to take care of these issues since they are more than likely a result of clenching your teeth while you are sleeping and sometimes throughout the day. When you clench your teeth, you make use of many of the most powerful muscles in your body. These muscle contractions might cause early morning headaches and/or stress headaches, and in many cases harm surrounding ligaments, teeth, and other muscles.
The majority of dental treatment to cure malocclusion involves the usage of a splint, or a dental device that temporarily adjusts the bite. Dr. Appleton is now offering Botox for his patients that suffer from TMJ headaches that haven’t responded well to other medications. Botox has proven to be very effective in treating headache pain.
In more severe cases, Dr. Appleton could advise a long-lasting improvement in the bite using tooth replacement, shifting teeth through orthodontic treatment, or a combination of bonding and crowns or veneers. For many individuals, the final results have been effective and their return to a pain-free condition has offered them an additional chance at a considerably more productive life.
