TMJ Syndrome
Temporal Mandibular Joint Syndrome — commonly referred to as TMJ for short — is a disorder of the jaw joints that creates jaw and bite alignment malfunctions, in turn causing problems in the range of motion when chewing and speaking.
TMJ is known to cause a wide variety of other issues: from headaches, jaw pain and facial pain — to clicking of the jaw at the joints, limited jaw mobility, excessively worn down teeth, locking of the jaw, earaches, and even ringing in the ears. If not properly treated, the nerve pain and damage caused by TMJ may become permanent.
What are the treatment options for TMJ?
Braces and clear aligners
Because TMJ is often caused by issues related to malocclusion (a bad bite), bite correction using braces or clear aligners like Invisalign is one of the best ways to relieve the pain and pressure of TMJ. The alignment of the teeth, not just next to one another but across both jaws, can significantly help your situation if you’ve been experiencing pain or discomfort in the joint of your jaw. Most orthodontic treatment actually adjusts how teeth are aligned relative to one another across both of your jaws.
Oral Appliance
A custom oral appliance is a common, non-invasive solution that works well for many patients suffering from TMJ. The oral appliance is a device that fits over your teeth with the intent of reducing tooth wear and sensitivity, muscle pain and soreness, and joint pain and instability. At times, these devices are designed to “align the jaw.” They can also be used to discourage some of the daytime behaviors many patients don’t realize they’re doing, such as resting their teeth together, clenching their teeth, or biting their nails or cuticles. The appliances can be worn at night and/or during the day.
TMJ Surgery
In cases where diagnosis indicates a specific problem with TMJ, or where several attempts at non-surgical intervention have failed, joint surgery may be an appropriate treatment. TMJ surgery is designed to treat and fix a specific problem including removal of scar tissue, repair and reposition of the disc, alter the anatomy of a joint, or remove degenerative tissue. Surgical options we offer at Park Smiles NYC for TMJ include arthroscopy, arthroplasty and TMJ prosthetic joint replacement.
Botox
Botox is a versatile prescription injection normally associated with cosmetic treatments (i.e. reducing the appearance of wrinkles). But what most people don’t know is that Botox was first approved by the FDA as a first line treatment for chronic migraines – and it’s now used routinely for frontline therapeutic treatment of TMJ. When injected into facial muscles afflicted with soreness and discomfort, Botox relieves TMJ and jaw tension. The injections also often eliminate headaches resulting from teeth grinding (bruxism), and, in cases of severe stress, Botox can even minimize locked jaw.
PARK SMILES NYC
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