Temporomandibular disorders are disorders associated with the temporomandibular joint, the jaw and surrounding muscles. The temporomandibular joint is a crucial hinge that allows you to move your jaw and open your mouth when talking, chewing and yawning. When this joint’s health and function are compromised, the result is intense pain and limited range of motion.
Some common symptoms of temporomandibular disorders include clicking or popping sounds when you open your mouth, locked jaw, jaw pain, and facial pain. You may also experience headaches and earaches.
If you’re showing these symptoms, it’s time to call our dentists near you for TMD treatment in Summerland, BC.
What Causes Temporomandibular Disorders?
Various factors may trigger temporomandibular disorders. These include:
- Injury to the temporomandibular joint, jaw, or head and neck muscles
- Dislocation of the shock-absorbing cushion between the joint ball and socket
- Arthritis
- Excess teeth clenching or grinding
- Stress, which can cause an individual to clench their jaw muscles and teeth tightly
- Severe jaw or teeth misalignment
Here at Summerland Dental Centre, we focus on diagnosing the source of dysfunction before moving to the treatment phase. Our dentists start by evaluating you comprehensively using diagnostic tools to understand your temporomandibular joints’ issues. Only after a thorough assessment do we begin to explore various treatment options.
TMD Treatment Options
Our dentists in Summerland, BC, tailor our treatments to suit your unique needs. We prefer a conservative approach to treatment and always recommend non-invasive treatments as first-line therapies.
TMD is commonly treated or managed via medications, e.g. pain relievers, anti-inflammatories and muscle relaxants, counselling, physical therapy and orthotic appliances.
If you have TMD related to tooth-grinding, then an anti-grinding mouthguard or a nightguard can help relieve your pain and discomfort. A nightguard discourages bruxism or teeth grinding by creating a soft, firm barrier between your upper and lower teeth.
To create a custom night guard, our dentists take your dental impressions and then share these with the lab. We manufacture all our oral devices from quality materials to guarantee comfort and durability. Most patients experience lasting relief from the continual use of anti-grinding orthotic appliances.
In some severe instances of TMD, our dentists may suggest further evaluations and more invasive treatment measures, but only if it’s in the patient’s best interests.
Are you struggling with TMD? Get in touch with Summerland Dental Centre today to receive personalized TMD treatment near you.
