TMD
Clicking and popping. Sore ears and temples. Pain when you yawn, or discomfort opening and closing your mouth. If you experience any, or all of these conditions, the chances are you have a TMD problem. You’re not alone. Many Canadians experience some form of jaw discomfort from numerous types of jaw stress such as overnight teeth clenching (bruxism) injuries, joint inflammation such as arthritis, and neck and head muscles stress. Continual pressure on your jaw is progressive and leads to further complications and pain. Bad habits like pen chewing don’t help the situation either.
When the pain is consistent and the situation seems permanent, a visit to our office is warranted. Our dental group could not only recognize the TMD condition, but can often unravel the cause or causes. Occasionally an X-ray is required to pinpoint specific issues.
Once the TMD is diagnosed, a common appropriate course of action will be outlined. This action course could include a series of exercises to be performed, anti-inflammatory prescription medicine, or referral to a TMD treatment clinic. A hard material mouth guard may also be recommended. Unfortunately for sufferers, TMD problems rarely dissipate on their own. The good news is; a prescribed course by your dentist is often extremely effective in reining in TMD discomfort.