Did You Know Your Dentist Can Help with TMJ?

Our dental office should be your first stop when you need relief from temporomandibular joint (TMJ) aches and pains. Learn how custom-made dental appliances and other treatments relieve jaw pain and other TMJ-related symptoms.

Jaw pain is just one side effect of TMJ, a temporomandibular joint disorder that affects about 12% of Americans, according to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.

If you have relentless jaw pain, earaches, or problems chewing food because of TMJ, you can rely on the customized treatments we offer at Park Dental NYC.

Yookyung Park, DDS, and Pat Ng-A-Fook, DDS, take a whole-person approach to correcting jaw misalignments contributing to TMJ pain. Our skilled dentists can also recommend strategies for protecting long-term jaw health.

Recognizing the signs of TMJ

Your temporomandibular joints work like sliding hinges, allowing your mouth to open and close and your jaw to move from side to side. The two joints are located on each side of your jaw and connect your jawbone to your skull.

When there are misalignments of the ja,w or an injury or disease has damaged your jaw joints, you may be likely to experience TMJ-related complications like:

Jaw tenderness and pain
Earaches
Headaches
Eye pain
Neck pain
Toothaches

A more serious side effect of TMJ is the locking of your jaw, which makes it difficult to open your mouth or move your jaw in any direction.

If you experience occasional or persistent TMJ symptoms, our Park Dental NYC team is here to evaluate your jaw health and confirm a TMJ diagnosis.

Therapeutic solutions for TMJ disorder

Initially, our team may recommend relaxation techniques to prevent tension from building in your jaw muscles. You might also benefit from daily jaw exercises or physical therapy to improve the flexibility of your jaw joints and muscles.

Other available solutions for TMJ include:

Medications

Over-the-counter or prescription medications like anti-inflammatories and muscle relaxers help to ease TMJ-related body pain.

Oral appliances

Custom-made oral appliances keep your jawbone aligned and can alleviate pressure on your temporomandibular joints.

Our dental experts can also fit you with a mouth guard to protect your teeth and jaw joints from damage caused by teeth clenching and grinding (bruxism).

Surgery

When conservative therapies aren’t working well to relieve TMJ pain and other symptoms, the team may recommend surgery to repair temporomandibular joints damaged by injuries or degenerative diseases like osteoarthritis.

Tips for preventing TMJ complications

While you can’t always prevent a TMJ disorder from developing, there are ways to lower your risk of experiencing joint misalignments and other jaw problems.

Your daily habits, especially activities like chewing gum and teeth clenching, can contribute to TMJ. Eating hard or sticky foods can also stress the jaw muscles and joints, leading to tenderness and pain. If you can’t avoid certain foods, cut them into smaller pieces to make them easier to chew.

Stress is another trigger for TMJ symptoms. Take a mindful approach to your day by stretching after sitting for long periods of time. Also, pay attention to moments when you clench your jaw or grind your teeth when feeling overwhelmed.

Call Park Dental NYC in Midtown East, Manhattan, New York, today to schedule a TMJ evaluation or book a consultation online.