Women suffering TMJ disorders find relief with dental treatment in Carlsbad
Has the discomfort and alienation of temporomandibular joint disorder deeply affected your quality of life? You are not alone. An estimated ten million Americans have this condition, and an astounding 90 percent of them are women, mostly of childbearing age. TMD can wreak havoc with your physical health and peace of mind. Carlsbad dentist, Dr. Al A. Fallah provides answers and treatment solutions for TMJ disorders.
Lifelong challenge
For many women, TMD is a daily struggle faced silently and unaided. Maybe you have had obvious symptoms such as jaw pain, locked jaw, and joint noises (grinding, clicks, and pops) for such a long time that you take them for granted. Possibly you have undergone all sorts of inconclusive tests for generalized facial pain, earaches, and tinnitus. Perhaps doctors have treated your chronic headaches or migraines with pain medications that dull your senses. Other health problems could be related to TMJ disorder and you do not realize it.
TMD is so commonplace among women, and females tend to be so stoic, that it is often viewed as something you just have to deal with, along with all the other demands of a busy life.
The offhand attitude of others further adds to a woman’s TMD distress. If you have openly discussed your TMD symptoms, the conversation may have been met with dismissive statements like:
It’s all in your head.
Stop complaining.
That’s a trendy made-up ailment.
Oh, I have that, too. Everyone does.
Just take a pill.
While the comments could be well-meaning, they belie the impact of TMD on your life. Unfortunately, the stress of keeping your discomfort to yourself can aggravate the situation.
Call Our Office For More Information, call us at (760) 730-1600 or Schedule an Appointment today.
Why women?
Bruxism – teeth grinding, clenching, or gnashing – is a big factor in TMD, and often the result of stress. While men certainly have stress, too, in our fast-paced modern culture, women are often the multi-taskers. Ladies juggle responsibilities and oversight of running a household, raising children, holding full-time careers, and maintaining a social life. The resulting stress comes from all directions.
Several medical conditions that are more prevalent in the female gender also contribute to TMD. A young woman’s body reaches peak bone density several years early than a man’s and has less bone mass overall. Ladies, on average, live longer and don’t assimilate as much calcium. Their rate of bone loss accelerates from hormonal changes during pregnancy, oral contraceptives, and when estrogen levels fall following menopause. That increases the incidence of osteoarthritis affecting jaw joints. Women are also more prone to develop fibromyalgia.
There is evidence that the temporomandibular joints in women have slightly different construction than a man’s jaw. There is less collagen holding the disk between the ball and socket. Menstruation also contributes to certain vitamin deficiencies related to joint disorders.
Adding to all of that is the fact that women are just as likely as men to have dental problems. Occlusion refers to bite, or the relationship of the upper and lower arches of teeth when you close your mouth. Malocclusion occurs when this relationship is askew. Overcrowding, overjet, overbite, crossbite, open bite, underbite, a diastema, and spacing issues, missing or worn-down teeth, impacted teeth, and poorly designed, broken, or worn dental work can throw the mouth out of balance and place unusual strain on delicate temporomandibular joints.
Compassionate dental treatment
In Dr. Fallah’s care, open, two-way communication is one of the most important facets of TMD treatment. He listens intently as you discuss health symptoms (including those that seem unrelated to your jaws), and he asks questions about medical history and lifestyle factors that may trigger jaw discomfort.
Then, his attention turns to accurate diagnosis, using leading-edge technologies and techniques. A 3D CBCT scan of the head and neck helps to identify soft and hard tissue abnormalities. A hands-on approach with palpation of muscles, and T-scan assessment of bite and range of motion provide further information. Neuromuscular/temporomandibular function diagnostics is a series of K7 EMG scans to evaluate muscle reaction to jaw movements, and imbalances from the neck down.
Once your condition is properly assessed, Dr. Fallah develops a personalized treatment plan, integrated with other healthcare professionals if necessary. The strategy may involve bite correction with orthodontics or dental restoration techniques, chiropractic treatment, stress management, and other therapies.
At Dentistry for San Diego in Carlsbad, TMJ disorders treatment begins with genuine concern. Call (760) 730-1600 to schedule a consultation.
