12/06/2016 14:36
TMJ is a disorder in the jaw joint that affects millions of Americans today. The temporomandibular joint is a very complicated one, allowing the jaw to hinge up and down, move back and forward, and shift slightly side to side. When one of these joint becomes inflamed or disrupted, it can cause a myriad of symptoms.
Common symptoms of TMJ include:
• Pain and/or discomfort in the jaw, head, face, neck, and shoulders
• Jaw lock
• Grinding or clicking in the affected jaw joint
• Tinnitus, or ringing in the ears
• The feeling of a toothache
• Difficulty chewing
• Muscle spasms
• Bruxism, or clenching and grinding the teeth
• Tenderness in the side of the face
• And more
Our Dentists in Orange County provides many treatment options with the goal of lessening the intensity of the above symptoms and eliminating the disorder altogether. One of the most common causes of TMJ is stress, which causes tightening of the muscles around the jaw. Relaxation techniques and stress reduction is therefore often the first method of beating the disorder. Our TMJ dentist in Orange County also often prescribes splints and mouth guards in order to prevent damage to the teeth caused by bruxism and imperfect bites.
