Many people suffer everyday from symptoms they call TMJ. Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) can affect the jaw joint, the muscles of the face, head and neck, and the teeth. You may have signs or symptoms in any or all of these areas.

Jaw Joint

      • Joint pain directly in front of the ears

      • Joint noises when opening or closing

      • Jaw may lock open or closed

      • Ringing in the ears

      • Facial asymmetry (one side of the jaw looks longer than the other)

Muscles

     • Sore muscles in the face, head, or neck

     • Headaches from chronic muscle tension

     • Lower jaw not moving as freely or opening as widely as it once did

Teeth

     • Cracked teeth

     • Worn teeth

     • Loose teeth

     • Sore teeth (extra sensitive to cold or sore to chew on)

Most temporomandibular disorders are progressive—the longer it is ignored, the more damage is done.  Pain is the symptom that causes many patients to seek treatment even though signs of the disorder can usually be seen much earlier.

Treatment may include one or more of the following:

    • Rest

    • Physical Therapy

    • Bite/relaxation appliance

    • Reshaping or repositioning the teeth to “balance” the bite

    • Surgery to repair injury to the joint

Our goal with treatment is to make you comfortable and slow the progression of the disorder as much as possible.  When we see you for the first time, we will do a thorough exam to look for all of these signs and symptoms.