If you frequently wake up in the morning with headaches or facial pain, you may be dealing with TMJ disorder or bruxism. These conditions are often found together in patients and can cause problems for your dental and physical health. Your Prairie Village, KS, dentist, and team are here to help diagnose and treat the disorder so that you can protect your smile and well-being.
Read more: Getting To The Root Of Tooth Sensitivity And HeadachesThe Causes Of TMJ And Bruxism
These are two different conditions, but both are often found in patients. Bruxism is a condition that causes a person to chronically grind their teeth without meaning to. Usually, this happens when they are asleep or unaware. It could be due to a variety of problems from an uneven bite, misaligned teeth, stress, or TMJ. Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ/ TMD) is a condition that limits the movement of your jaw. This may be caused by muscle problems, arthritis, injury, genetics, or other conditions. Often, patients with bruxism are diagnosed with TMJ as well.
Why You Should Seek Treatments
The side effects of these conditions may seem minimal at first, but they can have a significant impact on your health. Having constant pain around your jaw can make it difficult to chew food, which can make it difficult to digest your food. It can also decrease your quality of life as you may decide to stop eating some of your favorite snacks or meals. Frequent headaches can be caused either by clenching the jaw or grinding the teeth. You may not realize it, but this may be causing you to wake up in the middle of the night. This can disrupt your sleep pattern and make you feel more irritable, tired, or anxious in the morning. Bruxism over time can wear down your enamel and make you more susceptible to cavities and other dental problems, which can cost you a lot of time and money to repair.
How Your Dentist Can Help
At your next checkup, you can discuss your concerns with your dentist. Symptoms such as chronic headaches, earaches, tooth sensitivity, or a popping sound when you open and close your mouth are indicators of either TMJ or bruxism. Then, they may take X-rays and thoroughly examine your jaw and oral cavity. Once a diagnosis has been made, they can determine a helpful treatment plan for your needs. In many cases, a mouthguard can help reduce a patient’s symptoms. You will wear this at night to protect your teeth and jaw from clenching together. In the morning, you can enjoy fewer headaches and pain.
Schedule Your Appointment
Call Dr. Browne and his team in Prairie Village, KS, today at (913) 901-8585. We can help treat TMJ, bruxism, and more.
