“Doctor, I have TMJ,” is a common complaint that patients report to us went they are suffering from facial pain that is not relate to their teeth. There are a variety of causes temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMD, including misaligned bite, trauma to the jaw, clinching and grinding at night, TMJ disc inflammation, sleep apnea, emotional stress, and other causes. Thankfully, 85% of the people who are having TMD are actually not having joint related problems, but instead are experiencing myofacial pain syndrome, which is pain involving the jaw muscles that work to move the jaw. Symptoms can include headaches, ear pain, tooth pain, neck and shoulder pain, clicking and popping noises, and others.
The doctors at Cape Dental Care are trained to differentiate joint problems from other conditions like myofacial pain syndrome. This is done with a detailed examination that takes about an hour and involves a much more detailed health history, physical examination, the use of the Joint Vibration Analysis (JVA) and the TekScan. Once we complete our exam we will inform you of the best treatment options available to help you get immediate relief.
If you feel like you are having discomfort in your jaws, call for an appointment today. 239-549-8921.
Are my jaws double-jointed?
The temporomandibular joint, or TMJ, is the only “double” joint in the entire body because it has the ability to both rotate and slide forward. When someone moves their thumbs or arm in a funny way and tells you they are “double-jointed”, what they really mean is that their ligaments are flexible or limber. However, if you have a very flexible jaw joint a variety of problems can arise, including lock jaw. Lock jaw occurs when you open your mouth too wide and your joint slips out of the joint housing and becomes locked in a forward position. Open locks can be sudden, frightening, inconvenient, and potentially very damaging to the joint if not corrected properly. The absolutely worst thing you can do if this is to ever happens to you is to force your jaws shut. This can tear and damage your joint, leaving permanent disc problems. The best thing to do is relax your jaw muscles as best you can and seek dental care immediately. If you are unable to seek dental care, relax your facial muscles and gently push down and back on your chin. Sometimes moving your jaw side to side can dislodge the open lock. After the situation has been resolved eat soft foods, do not open your mouth very wide and take a non-sterodial anti-inflammatory like aspirin or motrin. Seek dental care to access if you have suffered any permanent damage.