Did you know that frequent or chronic headaches, neck and shoulder pain, and tenderness when you’re chewing are all symptoms of problems with your temporomandibular joint, or TMJ? This complex joint is responsible for moving your jaw in all directions, and if it’s not healthy, you can experience a host of issues and discomfort. Here’s what you should know about managing TMJ problems and how to alleviate your pain.
Temporomandibular Disorder
The term for chronic problems with your jaw joint is temporomandibular disorder, or TMD. This condition affects patients in different ways that can be very debilitating in some cases. Patients may experience one or a combination of these symptoms:
- Tenderness or discomfort when chewing
- Chronic neck and shoulder pain
- Popping or clicking when opening or closing
- Jaw locking open or closed
- Frequent headaches or migraines
Diagnosing TMD
Sometime it may be hard to determine that TMD is the cause of your discomfort, and the root cause of pain differs greatly for each patient. This is where your Herndon dentist can help. Your dentist can determine if you have TMD with x-rays of your jaw joint and a thorough evaluation. Getting to the root cause of the problem helps determine the treatment that will be most effective for your condition.
Treating TMD
For some patients, stress management or relaxation techniques may be all that’s needed to alleviate TMD. Other patients benefit from alternating hot and cold packs on the problems areas. Patients who suffer from bruxism, or clenching and grinding their teeth may see results from wearing a custom mouth guard to help their muscles reposition and relax.
If bite misalignment is the cause of TMD, orthodontic treatment to align teeth and correct the bite may be necessary to alleviate the condition.
Contact Your Dentist
If you think you may be suffering from the effects of TMD, be sure to discuss your concerns when you have your preventive health checkup with your dentist. They can take the proper steps to diagnose your condition and make the treatment recommendations that will best suit your needs. Don’t suffer with pain or discomfort any longer, contact your dentist today for more information.
About Virginia Dentistry By Design
Dr. Sonia Dilolli and her team love caring for patients in Herndon, VA! Dr. Dilolli has completed advanced training in many fields including implant dentistry and orthodontics in order to offer her patients comprehensive treatment in one location. Patients also enjoy the caring and welcoming atmosphere they experience at Virginia Dentistry By Design.
If you would like to contact Dr. Dilolli, please call 703-478-9574 or reach her online.