At Stewart Dental Group, we believe that the more you know about your mouth and oral health, the better we’ll be able to help you maintain a happy, healthy mouth. Let’s talk for a couple of minutes about your TMJ, or temporomandibular joint.
The Anatomy
The temporomandibular joint is the joint between the temporal bone of your skull and the mandible, or jaw bone. It is powered by muscles that can exert up to 268 pounds of pressure, enough to crush bones!
As with all joints, the parts of the mandible and the temporal bone that articulate, or work together in a joint, are covered with articulating cartilage, a smooth, lubricated connective tissue that helps the TMJ glide smoothly as it bites and chews.
There is also a small cartilaginous disk in the joint, similar to the intervertebral disks in your back, which helps to cushion the joint.
Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD)
As with all joints, the TMJ is subject to wear and tear and misalignment. The facial pain you’ve been feeling may be a symptom of TMD. Other symptoms include:
- a clicking sound
- pain around the ears, neck and shoulders
- problems with opening the mouth wide
- a stuck or locked jaw
TMD can be caused by osteoarthritis (normal wear-and-tear) of the TMJ or excessive grinding and clenching of the teeth.
How We Can Help
The danger of grinding and clenching of the teeth (bruxism), especially at night, is not just to your TMJ. You can also weaken, stress or even break teeth with excessive grinding of the teeth at night.
At Stewart Dental Group, we will give you some options to help alleviate your pain and discomfort. Custom made night guards can prevent symptoms of bruxism, preventing trauma to your teeth and easing the symptoms of TMD.
Sometimes, malalignment issues are the reason you suffer from TMJ pain and discomfort. We offer Invisalign clear alignment treatment to treat a variety of orthodontic issues that may be contributing to your TMJ problems. Consult our dentists to find out if you are a good candidate for Invisalign.
Schedule an appointment at Stewart Dental Group by calling our office at 704-376-2404. We look forward to meeting you!
