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TMD
TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT DISORDER
What is TMJ Disorder?
Your temporomandibular joint unites your lower jaw with your skull. The surrounding muscles allow you to move your jaw up, down, sideways and around. Soft disks of cartilage between the ball and socket portion of the joint allow you to open your mouth smoothly to speak, yawn and eat
Temporomandibular joint disorder, also called TMD or TMJ, is a type of a disorder when your jaw has moved out of alignment, which prohibits jaw joints from working smoothly. You can feel your TMJ by placing your fingers in front of your ears on each side of your face. Your jaw joints are very complex mechanisms that allow you to open your mouth via ball and socket like joints that connect your jaw to your skull. When there is damage or misalignment in the TMJ, you can experience a wide range of symptoms, including:
- Migraine-like TMD/TMJ headaches
- Trauma to the jaw joints or other muscles in the neck or head
- Noises from your jaw joints, such as popping or clicking
- Neck and shoulder pain
- Dizziness
- Ringing in your ears
What Causes TMJ Syndrome?
Most of the times it is difficult to determine a singular cause of TMJ disorder. In many patients it can be caused by a combination of factors such as genetics, jaw injuries or pre-existing health conditions like arthritis, periodontal disease and diabetes.
Some common causes of TMD include:
- Jaw muscle fatigue caused by abnormal function, grinding, or clenching
- Trauma to the jaw joints or other muscles in the neck or head
- Cartilage or disk erosion in the jaw joints
- Misalignment of your jaw, resulting in a crossbite, overbite or underbite
- Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory musculoskeletal disorders
- Nighttime jaw movements related to sleep apnea
- Stress and anxiety disorders
What Are The Symptoms Of TMD?
TMD symptoms can range from mild to severely debilitating, and include:
- Jaw problems – popping, clicking or grinding sounds; stiffness; lock jaw
- Ear problems – pain, ringing (tinnitus), fullness, difficulty hearing
- Face problems – pain, tiredness, swelling
- Head problems – dizziness, migraine-like TMJ headaches
- Body problems – pain in the neck or shoulders
You can experience some of these symptoms with or without actually having TMD/TMJ. You could have a transient pain or pathology that requires follow up with a medical specialist. It is important to rule in or out your jaw and facial muscles as the source of your pain. A Dentist with training beyond dental school, like Dr. Adam Chapnick, is well- prepared for your TMD/ TMJ treatment in Toronto.
Symptoms of TMD
DISCUSS YOUR DENTISTRY OPTIONS
TMD/TMJ TREATMENT IN TORONTO
Causes
Treatment Options for TMD/TM
The goal of a TMD/TMJ treatment plan is to keep your jaw aligned and muscles pain free. Ultimately the cause of your pathology and the result you want to achieve will provoke the best therapy. When a patient presents with headaches or facial pain, Dr. Chapnick does an examination and a series of tests to rule in or out your joints, teeth or facial muscles as a source of your distress. Testing for sleep apnea is often considered because of the high correlation with TMJ issues. If therapy is needed, Dr. Chapnick most often treats TMD by first identifying your optimal jaw position and then devising a unique treatment plan to keep your jaw in alignment.
To meet this goal, Dr. Chapnick may initially fabricate a custom oral appliance to test and confirm the jaw posture that will best resolve symptoms and provide function. For permanent results, some situations provoke changing the shape of your teeth. Some patients prefer using Invisalign® or other orthodontic techniques to improve alignment. Botox may be another option preferable to some patients. The final decision will always be a collaboration with you and our well educated team. For patients with missing teeth, jaw support can be restored with dental implants or dental bridges. Surgery is rarely used as a treatment for TMD because it is invasive and proven to be ineffective.
Dr. Chapnick and his team use physiologic dentistry technology to help identify jaw misalignment, including:
- Digital X-rays
- Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) unit
- K7 Evaluation System: sonography, electromyography and mandibular screening
If you have additional questions about TMJ disorder or would like to schedule a TMD evaluation with physiologic dentist, Dr. Adam Chapnick in Toronto, please contact the experienced Chapnick Dental Office team.
We are a Family Friendly Practice
At Chapnik Dental Office, we provide family dentistry services. Toronto and Barrie dentist, Dr. Adam Chapnick works with every child to build trust and comfort through the entire dental visit process.
GETTING A TMD TMJ TREATEMENT IN TORONTO
Why does TMD/TMJ have so many different symptoms?
The areas around your jaw joints contain large nerves that branch off to the head,face, neck and shoulders. If your jaw muscles become irritated, they can begin to constrict some of the surrounding nerves. Any time a nerve is constricted your brain will register a certain degree of pain or discomfort. When your jaw is misaligned it will often provoke misalignment of your head and neck which in turn can cause a cascade of descending body symptoms.
Often people will look to medical doctors for relief from the symptoms mentioned above without success because the cause of their pain is from TMJ disorder. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms of TMJ, a physiologic dentist may have the answers to your pain.
Can any dentist diagnose and treat TMD/TMJ?
No. Dentists who are specially trained in physiologic dentistry, like Dr. Adam Chapnick, fully understand the complex relationship between the soft tissues, hard tissues, muscles and nerves of the TMJ. Dr. Chapnick and his team also have the tools to properly diagnose TMJ disorder and the training and experience in general and cosmetic dentistry procedures to correct dental problems and keep your jaw in proper alignment.
Why are biteguards used to treat TMD/TMJ?
Dr. Dr. Chapnick may recommend you wear an oral appliance at to prevent you from grinding or clenching your teeth. Teeth grinding (bruxism) is a common cause of TMJ, and many patients are unaware they have this habit until signs of tooth wear or sleep and TMJ symptoms are identified. Custom-made oral appliances will also keep your upper and lower arches in the ideal position for jaw alignment.
Oral appliances, such as splints or night guards, are different from mouthguards, which are used as protective and physical enhancement devices during contact sports.
If I think I have TMD/TMJ, what should I do?
If you feel TMJ disorder may be the root cause of your pain, contact physiologic dentist Dr. Chapnick to schedule a neuromuscular consultation. Dr. Chapnick will analyze the state of your jaw joints, including the sounds, movements and tenderness. He may take digital X-rays and implement the transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) unit and K7 Evaluation System (sonography, electromyography and mandibular screening) to properly diagnose your condition. From there he will be able to implement a unique treatment program for you.
To schedule your neuromuscular consultation with Dr. Adam Chapnick, please contact the Chapnick Dental Office team in Barrie or Toronto today.
Are you looking for new teeth-in-a-day to transform your loose teeth or old dentures into a confidence-boosting smile? If so, Dr. Adam Chapnick, a renowned cosmetic dentist in Toronto, is here for you. We will make sure your self-esteem remains high as you improve your social connections. The immediately functional Toronto cosmetic dentistry we provide will get you talking, smiling, and laughing without any worries.
