TMJ Therapy

Headaches, migraines, earaches, and irritating conditions like a popping jaw, can be caused by misalignment of the jaw joints, a condition called TMJ disorder. TMJ is the acronym for temporomandibular joints, and these are the two joints that hold the jaw to the skull. Injury, stress, heredity, tooth wear, misalignment of teeth, and other factors can cause the jaw joints to become unbalanced, or misaligned.

Why TMJ Causes Pain
Surrounding our TMJs is a complex network of muscles and nerves. When the joints aren’t properly aligned, additional stress is placed on these muscles and nerves, and a person experiences pain.  The pan may affect the head, neck, mouth, and jaw – or it can be referred pain to the shoulders or low back. Some people experience tingling in their hands and feet as a result of TMJ disorder.

Treatment for TMJ Disorder
During an evaluation, Dr. Stewart can determine if your jaws aren’t properly aligned. Physical manipulation of the jaw, a discussion about your symptoms, and assessing tooth wear contribute to diagnosing TMJ disorder. If you have the condition, Dr. Stewart will recommend an oral appliance to reposition your jaw into proper alignment and relieve stress on your jaw joints.

Bruxism
Many people with TMJ disorder also grind their teeth. Stressed muscles and nerves cause the jaw to automatically move during sleep, which grinds or clenches teeth together and results in more tooth wear and more pain. We call this condition bruxism. The oral appliance Dr. Stewart recommends for TMJ therapy will eliminate the ability to grind and clench teeth during sleep, thus solving two problems with one treatment.

Call our dental office today to schedule your appointment with Dr. Stewart. We give residents of Livonia, Farmington, and Farmington Hills personalized service and patient-focused care for smiles that last.