You just landed a huge promotion. What an exciting, stressful time in your life! You’ve noticed your body is starting to adapt to your stressors at work and age differently. Ever since then, you’ve been experiencing headaches and even clicking/sticking feelings in your jaws. Now you’re caught at a fork in the road: do you ignore these symptoms or take the time to visit your dentist in Buckhead?
Visiting your dental office could ease your suffering from dysfunctional TMJ’s. A temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder can be managed without long-lasting impacts on your health if you seek the appropriate medical attention. The office of Dr. Puskas and Dr. Refari is here to help keep your smile healthy and functioning properly.
First, what is TMJ disorder?
It’s critical to understand the function of a TMJ to realize what’s causing your discomfort. Temporomandibular joints are triangle-shaped joints made of muscle and cartilage. Both of your TMJ’s are positioned on either side of your head, just in front of your ears. These joints play important roles in how your mouth opens and closes. This is key to us being able to speak and eat properly. Without smoothly functioning TMJ’s, simple tasks like eating a meal a tasty meal or engaging in a thoughtful conversation become painful.
What signs should I look for?
Your TMJ can become damaged for several reasons. The most common factors that cause TMJ disorder seems to be extreme stress, an improper bite, or sudden trauma to areas around your head and mouth. Common indicators of TMJ disorder include:
- Constant, serious headaches
- Difficulty opening and closing your mouth
- Persistent body pain in the head, face, or neck
- Stiffness in your jaw
- Ringing or pressure in your ears
- Sticking or clicking when opening and closing your mouth
How can a dentist near me help?
Dr. Puskas and Dr. Refai can help you discover if your TMJ’s are the cause of your discomfort. We are proudly equipped with digital 2D x-rays and 3D conebam technology that can provide valuable insight for our patients. Our innovative office will be able to view the exact positioning of your jaw, your TMJ’s, and how your teeth are being effected.
What therapy options do I have?
When it comes to finding an effective treatment for TMJ disorder, look no further. Our office offers two alternatives: occlusal splint therapy and occlusal adjustment. A custom oral appliance can provide relief by aligning your jaw, allowing it to open and close properly. It will also prevent muscle spasms from exhausted TMJ’s. Eventually, the custom oral appliance will guide your jaw joints to their proper positions and accelerate the healing process.
If your jaw continues to show signs of instability, your dentist may recommend an occlusal adjustment. We can alter specific teeth that are interfering with your healthy TMJ function. When it’s all said and done, your jaws will feel much more stable and have a bite that feels normal again.
How can I get TMJ disorder assistance?
Instead of just addressing the pain that you are experiencing, we address the source of your pain. The best thing to do when you’re experiencing the signs of TMJ disorder is to contact our office for a consultation as soon as possible. The sooner you get started, the sooner your therapy will be able to help relieve your pain.