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.
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 nightguards.
Nightguards are oral appliances worn during sleep that help stop the teeth from grinding together. These oral appliances also protect the teeth from further wear caused by bruxism. Additionally, wearing a nightguard places the jaw in a more comfortable position, alleviating pressure and stress on the joints and muscles.
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.