When you have poor bite balance or strain on your jaw joints, this could mean the onset of TMJ disorder (also known as TMD) and bruxism (chronic teeth grinding). These different, but related, disorders could have a major negative impact on your smile’s health and function. In today’s blog, your Prairie Village, KS, dentist talks about treatment with an oral appliance.
The Dangers of TMJ Disorder and Bruxism
TMJ disorder develops when pressure is placed on your jaw joints. Bruxism is a disorder in which people grind and clench their teeth on a nightly basis. Untreated TMJ disorder could lead to bruxism, and vice versa. Over time, TMD is linked to trouble opening and closing the mouth. Bruxism could actually wear away outer structure or even chip or crack the teeth, leading to the onset of painful complications for the smile and even threatening the stability of teeth. Which means when you begin to experience the symptoms we discuss in the next section; you should let us know right away.
Warning Signs of Trouble
People with TMD may report popping or clicking in the jaw, as well as headaches, migraines, jaw pain, and aches in the face, neck, and shoulders. Teeth grinding could cause the same symptoms, as well as tooth sensitivity and toothaches as the teeth develop decay and infection. Both could be caused by injury to the face or mouth, missing teeth, dental misalignment, bite imbalance, issues with the growth and development of oral structures, or high levels of stress. As part of your exam, we will carefully look at the smile with digital technology to identify the factors behind your discomfort, and create a custom treatment plan.
Creating a Custom Appliance
There are a number of options to help restore balance and ease pressure. For example, we could correct misalignment with orthodontics, or even place custom crowns to improve overall balance. However, for both disorders could we could recommend a single treatment option that is comfortable and worn as you sleep. We take detailed impressions of your smile to create a device that looks and fits much like a mouthguard. The oral appliance then repositions the jaw to ease pressure, and places a barrier between the upper and lower sets of teeth to stop further damage. If you have any questions about treating TMJ and bruxism issues, then contact our team today to learn more.
TALK TO YOUR PRAIRIE VILLAGE, KS DENTIST ABOUT TMJ APPLIANCES
Dr. Browne wants to help treat smiles suffering from issues like TMD and teeth grinding, to prevent further discomfort or damage. If you want to learn more about treating poor bite balance and jaw joint strain, then contact our Prairie Village, KS dental office today at 913-901-8585.
