Why you should visit the dentist for TMJ pain and treatment in Carlsbad, ca
Temporomandibular joint disorder, also known as TMJ or TMD, is a condition that is not well understood by most medical and dental practitioners. Many patients have vague symptoms and are unsure of what their cause is. Because of this, many people suffer in pain for many years without ever getting an accurate diagnosis, but there is no reason to live in misery. This is why you should visit. Al Fallah, a dentist in Carlsbad, CA. At his practice, you will find the TMJ expertise and effective treatment you have been seeking to help you find relief.
COMMON SYMPTOMS OF TMJ DISORDER
The temporomandibular joints are located on each side of your jaw and are one of the most complex joints in the entire human body. While most joints enable one direction of motion, such as back and forth movement, the TMJs allow you to open and close your jaw, as well as move it side-to-side and from front to back. When you combine the complexity of the joint with the amount of stress that we place on it daily through chewing, talking, and in the case of many people, grinding and clenching, it is easy to see how it can become misaligned or inflamed.
While some symptoms of TMJ disorder are easy to attribute to the jaw, others are not as easy to pinpoint. TMJ sufferers may have:
- Clicking, popping, or grinding when moving the jaw
- Pain in the jaw or the temporomandibular joint
- Facial pain
- Pain or ringing in the ears
- Difficulty with chewing
- Inability to fully open or close the jaw, or the feeling of a locked jaw
- A bite that seems off
- Headaches
- Pain in the neck or shoulders
HOW WE DIAGNOSE AND TREAT TMJ DISORDER
If you have one or more of the above symptoms, it is important to know that there are effective treatments available and you do not need to live in pain. As a holistic dentist with extensive training in TMJ disorder, Dr. Fallah provides a wide range of diagnostic and treatment options to help you regain your quality of life.
Using computerized diagnostic technology, Dr. Fallah first measures, and maps out your jaw. This information helps him determine the best course of treatment and create a temporary orthotic to help adjust your bite back to a healthy position and alleviate the stress being placed on your TMJs.
There is no one-size-fits-all treatment option for TMJ disorder. Dr. Fallah works with each patient individually, learning about their medical history and lifestyle in addition to advanced diagnostic techniques to determine the underlying cause for their issues. Based on your individual needs, one or more of the following treatments may also be recommended by Dr. Fallah to help get to the root cause of your symptoms:
- A longer-term customized orthotic appliance to help re-align your jaw and provide more balance to your head, neck, muscles, and joints
- Adjusting your bite with minor procedures such as reshaping your teeth or more advanced orthodontic treatments
- Placing tooth restorations such as porcelain crowns, veneers, dentures, or implants to re-balance your jaw and bite
Certain lifestyle factors can also exacerbate your TMJ pain, so Dr. Fallah will discuss ways to reduce the stress and inflammation in your TMJs on a daily basis. This may include:
- Avoiding chewing on hard objects such as ice, pencils, and pens, or your nails
- Not chewing gum regularly
- Using a mouth guard if you show signs of clenching and grinding your teeth (also known as bruxism)
- Practicing relaxation and stress reduction techniques such as breathing exercises, mindfulness meditation, yoga, or tai chi
RELIEF IS JUST A PHONE CALL AWAY
If you have been suffering from one or more symptoms that are associated with TMJ disorder, we encourage you to take the first step towards relief by calling the practice of Dr. Al Fallah to schedule an evaluation. At our Carlsbad, CA office, our patients are our partners in achieving oral health, and you will feel comfortable and welcome from the moment you step in the door. Using a combination of skill, experience, and the latest diagnostic and treatment technologies, Dr. Fallah will help make your pain a thing of the past so you get back to feeling like yourself. Call us at (760) 730-1600 today!
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