Dr. White Will Relieve Your Pain
Dentists address more than just the health and wellness of your teeth and gums—they also pay close attention to your jaw. The health, strength, and integrity of your jaw can impact your oral wellness and overall health. When you visit our Cedar City office, we’ll examine your jaw during your routine exam. Or, if you’ve noticed any changes in your jaw area, we’ll be happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have.
If you experience frequent headaches, jaw pain, or popping noises when you open and close your mouth, you could be suffering from a condition called TMJ Disorder (TMD).
What Is TMD?
You have two temporomandibular joints (TMJ) located just below the ears where your jawbone connects to the skull. Your TMJs allow your jaw to perform a wide range of motion when you’re engaged in such activities as talking, yawning, or eating. TMJ Disorder (TMD) is a painful condition that occurs when the TMJ, muscles, and bones that support your jaw are unable to work together properly. TMD can result in pain in your head, neck, ears, back, and jaw. It can even make it difficult to chew your favorite foods. TMD can be caused by stress, physical injury, teeth grinding, arthritis, or if the TMJ moves out of its proper alignment.
Dr. Sage White will diagnose your pain and design a plan to treat your TMD so you can live and eat without pain.
Symptoms of TMD
Sometimes patients experience pain, but they’re not sure what’s causing it. For example, neck pain is a common symptom of TMD. It may begin as a minor discomfort, but TMD can cause serious pain and permanent damage when left untreated. You may be suffering from TMD if you notice any of the following symptoms:
- Soreness in your TMJ
- Neck, back, or shoulder pain
- Swelling in your face or jaw
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- Earaches
- Headaches
- Popping noises when moving your jaw
- Swollen lymph nodes
During your consultation, it’s important to discuss any symptoms you’ve been experiencing with Dr. White. We don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach to your care at the Southern Utah Sleep & TMJ Center, which is why we take time to understand you– so that we can create a personalized solution for you.
Effective Solutions for TMD
Whether you are coming in for a routine exam or because you’re experiencing any of the symptoms above, we’ll take dental X-rays so we can get a clear picture of your jaw health. With proper treatment, TMD is sometimes reversible, which is why we tailor the most effective treatment plan based on your unique needs.
Everyone experiences the condition differently, so we have a number of treatment strategies to choose from.
Bite Adjustment
A poorly-aligned bite is a common cause of TMD. In these cases, we can adjust your bite using occlusal pads on the lower molars and braces on the top. This will correct the issue by repositioning the jaw forward.
Botox Injections
Botox is a popular treatment that’s known for enhancing your appearance by removing wrinkles and fine lines. But it also has valuable clinical applications for treating TMD by relaxing tense muscles.
Medication
Dr. White may recommend treating your TMD pain and inflammation with medication. This frequently includes muscle relaxers and NSAIDs, which are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, Motrin, and Advil.
TMJ Splints
We can provide you with a customized TMJ splint, which is also known as an oral appliance. This device creates a barrier to prevent your teeth from grinding together.
Orthodontics
TMJ pain is often caused when people have crooked teeth, an overbite, or an underbite. Providing braces will fix your smile and gradually shift your jaw into the correct alignment, eliminating your pain.
Surgery
Dr. White will find the least invasive treatment to relieve your TMD. But in some cases, he may recommend surgery to repair damage to the TMJ and remedy your TMD symptoms. We feature a number of effective surgical TMD treatments.
Risks of Untreated TMD
The most common symptom of prolonging TMD treatment is chronic pain. Although it is not life-threatening, there are other, even more, serious life-altering risks to untreated TMD.
Tinnitus
When inflammation occurs to the TMJs, it can have an effect on the stabilization of the eardrum resulting in tinnitus. Tinnitus is a condition where you experience noises or ringing in the ears. While it’s rare, TMJ Disorder can even cause hearing loss. Fortunately, this is usually reversible with the proper treatment.
Muscle Spasms
TMJ pain affects more than just your jaw. It can spread to your neck and shoulders as well, resulting in spasms. Another common cause of TMD is muscle tension, which can lead to a cycle of muscle spasms, pain, damage to the surrounding tissue, and sore muscles.
Chronic Headaches & Migraines
The muscles surrounding your TMJs span down your neck and back as well as across your skull. When inflammation occurs to your TMJs, the surrounding muscles can also be affected which can cause painful headaches. Pain in your TMJ can even spread into your sinuses.
Arthritis of the Jaw
People who suffer from arthritis know how painful it can be. The condition affects muscles and joints in various parts of the body, making it difficult to carry out daily tasks. It can also affect your jaw and its functionality. Arthritis can damage or destroy your cartilage over time, decreasing jawbone density and causing improper alignment that may result in an underbite, overbite, or crooked teeth. Dr. White will check for signs of arthritis in order to provide the appropriate TMD care.
Frequently Asked Questions
What causes jaw pain when chewing?
There are several medical issues that can cause jaw pain, including teeth grinding, a misaligned jaw, or damage to your TMJ joint.
Is ear pain when chewing or yawning normal?
You shouldn’t feel pain in your ear when chewing or yawning, and this could be a sign that you have Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMD).
Should my jaw pop when I chew?
This is a common side effect of TMD. If your jaw is popping, contact us to have your TMJ evaluated.
What is the best pain medication for TMD?
To relieve pain and inflammation in your TMJ, we recommend taking NSAID pain relievers such as aspirin or ibuprofen. We can also prescribe muscle relaxers to treat your symptoms.
Get Your Free TMJ Evaluation
If you start feeling earaches, headaches, soreness in your jaw, or popping noises when you open and close your mouth, contact our office in Cedar City at (435) 267-0486 to receive your free evaluation today. You can also fill out the easy-to-use contact form below, and we’ll get back to you right away. Dr. White and his skilled team will make sure you get the appropriate care.