
Jun
When you have headaches, the last place you hope to find relief is in a dentist’s office. However, if your headache is TMJ-related, you’ll be surprised your dentist may be the best-placed medical practitioner to manage your pain. A TMJ dentist like Dr. Ann Kelley at Kingsgate Dental in Kirkland, Washington, has the skills and experience to diagnose and treat TMJ disorder for a pain-free lifestyle.
Do you know what temporomandibular joints are? You may not know it, but you are currently using your TMJ as you read this article. This joint connects your lower jaw to the skull and allows you to open and close your mouth when eating, talking, yawning, or laughing. When your TMJ is healthy, you don’t even realize you have one. However, when inflamed, injured, or misaligned, your TMJ results in numerous unpleasant symptoms.
Some include:
Teeth grinding is the most common cause of TMD. When you grind your teeth, this action exerts about 250 pounds of force, which puts pressure on your teeth and jaw muscles. Continued teeth grinding and clenching (bruxism) wear out your TMJ, resulting in pain. The other reasons you may have TMD include injury, stress, inflammation, or infection. Whatever the cause of your TMJ pain, you should see a TMJ specialist for prompt treatment.
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Dr. Kelley uses a customized dental device to treat TMJ pain. This appliance fits in your mouth just like a night guard or sports guard and absorbs the grinding forces of your teeth. This plastic shield also gently positions jaws to minimize stress on your TMJ.Â
Some patients experience relief as soon as they start wearing a TMJ dental guard. Others may need a few days or weeks before relief kicks in. Whatever the case, wearing your device every night is vital for effective and long-lasting treatment.
Alongside a dental device, we may recommend the following treatments to manage your TMD:
TMJ pain can wreak havoc on your sleep, concentration, job, and entire life outlook. You don’t have to put up with chronic pain. Instead, call (425) 385-0080 to talk to Kingsgate Dental about treatment.Â