TMJ disorders are caused by injury or stress to the temporomandibular joints. These joints connect the lower jaw to the skull. When they are damaged, it can impact how patients eat and speak. Dr. Michael Courter and his team offer TMJ treatment to patients in Midland, TX, and the surrounding areas. Treating TMJ disorders can help restore the smile. When the temporomandibular joints are under pressure and do not function properly, they can affect the teeth, jaw, and face. Learn how to look out for the signs of TMJ disorders as well as the best options to alleviate TMJ pain below.
Dr. Courter provides TMJ treatment and other restorative dentistry services in Midland, TX.
Symptoms of TMJ Disorders
The most common signs and symptoms of TMJ disorders are:
- Jaw tenderness and pain
- Migraines and headaches
- Face and neck pain
- Jaw popping and clicking
- Earaches
- Teeth grinding (bruxism)
- Tooth wear
- Difficulty chewing
Call our dental office if you have noticed any of these signs of TMJ disorders. Our dental team will examine your smile to determine the best course of treatment.
How to Treat TMJ Disorders
For patients with mild TMJ symptoms, we recommend jaw exercises, eating soft foods, and using heat packs on the temporomandibular joints. Sometimes relaxing the facial muscles and being gentle on the jaw can stop early signs of TMJ disorders. However, for patients with more moderate symptoms, particularly teeth grinding as well as tooth and jaw pain, we recommend night guards.
Night Guards for Bruxism
If you have flat or worn down teeth, or if you frequently suffer from headaches or jaw pain, you could be suffering from bruxism. This common condition causes you to grind and clench your teeth at night while you’re asleep and could do permanent damage to your pearly whites. Luckily, you can protect them by wearing a night guard.
Night guards are oral appliances worn during sleep that help stop your teeth from grinding together. These oral appliances also protect your teeth from further wear caused by bruxism. Additionally, wearing a night guard places the jaw in a more comfortable position, alleviating pressure and stress on the joints and muscles. The night guards that Dr. Courter provides will precisely fit in your mouth so they are as comfortable as possible.
Call Our Dental Office Today
Do you have frequent jaw pain? Does your jaw pop or click when you eat hard or crunchy foods? Treat your TMJ in Dr. Courter’s Midland, Texas dental office. Call Dr. Courter today at 432-287-9531 or request a dental consultation with him online. Please let us know if you have any questions about your TMJ disorder and we can answer them for you at your next visit.