TMJ Treatment

Adjunctive to occlusal guards, splints and TMJ therapy, we utilize lasers to reduce inflammation and increase range of motion while reducing pain to correct oral malfunctions. This is an aspect of how Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) can benefit our patients with joint and oral facial pain.

TMJ SYMPTOMS

• Jaw clicking, popping, or grating sound when opening or closing the mouth
• Difficulty or discomfort in chewing or biting
• Earaches, dizziness and ringing sensation in the ear
• Chronic Headaches – Can range from migraines, cluster headache to tension headaches. The intensity is more in the mornings.
• Dull, aching pain in the face along with jaw pain or tenderness of the jaw
• Hearing loss
• Lack of balance and unstable gait
• Difficulty in breathing and shortness of breath
• Reduced ability to open or close the mouth
• Tinnitus
• Chronic neck and shoulder pain​

If you’ve experienced the symptoms above, you may suffer from TMJ dysfunction.

WHAT IS TMJ?

Also referred to as TMD (Temporomandibular Joint Disorders), this condition involves the temporomandibular joints, which hold the jaw to the base of the skull. The TMJ are sensitive to stress, fatigue, and illness, so they can easily become misaligned. When the jaw joints are out of sync, related muscles and nerves overcompensate, which causes the painful symptoms associated with TMD.

TMJ TREATMENT

Dr. Mahmood will complete a full assessment to determine the cause of your TMD. Once she identifies the problem, she can suggest treatment to relieve your discomfort. The goals of treating TMJ disorder are to stop the progression of the condition, protect the teeth from further damage, correct the bite misalignment that causes symptoms and provide TMJ pain relief.

Treatment plans depend on the individual patient and the degree of dysfunction. We offer non-surgical TMJ therapy options including:

• Painless laser therapy
• Dental therapy using a bite appliance, such as Night Guards or Bite Guards (Often, custom nightguards will stop clenching and grinding)
• Light temple and jaw massage to relax the muscles
• Anti-inflammatory medication or analgesics

If you’d like to learn about other options we have, feel free to visit our Preventative, Restorative, and Cosmetic Dentistry hub pages or contact us directly!

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