What Your Dentist Can Do

TMJ, medically referred to as temporomandibular joint, is the hinge that connects the mandible or lower jaw to the skull's temporal bone located right in front of the ears.

These hinges or joints are flexible enough to enable the jaw to move, allowing you to chew and talk.

Muscles are affixed around and to the joint itself to help control the movement and position.

TMJ Symptom Determination and Proper Diagnosis

Dentists play a vital role in determining the warning signs of TMJ pain.

Not only do they clean and repair your teeth, but they also track your dental and general health history.

According to various studies, symptoms of TMD, or temporomandibulardisorders, can start from mere tenderness and pain in the area to the locking of joints, resulting in difficulty closing and opening your mouth.

Physical examination is often done to patients who experience discomfort.

This includes listening and feeling your jaw when you open and close it, pressingaround the area to identify the painful sites and observing your jaw's scope of motion.

To ensure proper diagnosis, dentists may also require panoramic X-rays, MRI or magnetic resonance imaging, or a CT scan to help them pinpoint the main cause of your discomfort.

Appropriate Treatments for TMJ

There are various treatments for TMJ (also known as TMD) and these include surgical procedures and therapies.

Surgery is by far the most common TMJ treatment.

This is done if other milder remedies didn't work and if the cause of the pain is a structural problem.

The open-joint surgery is performed if tumors are found within the joint area or if severe scarring is present.

While arthroscopy - another form of surgical procedure - creates only a small incision on the ear frontage, open-joint surgery requires the entire temporomandibular joint area to be opened.

Arthrocentesis is yet another procedure performed by licensed dentists, which involves the insertion of needles that help irrigate the joint area to remove detritus and treat inflammation.

Injecting corticosteroid or botulinum toxin to jaw muscles can also help ease the pain.

There are also therapies which can treat TMJ disorders, one of which is the TENS therapy or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation therapy.

Dentists will utilize low-level of electrical currents to relax your facial muscles and joints resulting to relieved pain.

Ultrasound treatment and radio wave therapy are other therapeutic options you and your dentist have.

Other Methods ofDealing with TMD

Dental experts also have milder treatments if your TMD pain is not at its worst.

Pain relievers SedativesMuscle relaxants

are among a few medications you may take to ease the pain.

Furthermore, they also suggest patients like you perform jaw stretching or massage if you feel even minor pain to avoid the worse cases of TMD.

There’s a proper way of massaging and jaw stretching, so be sure to talk with your dentist about this.

The dentists at Shumway Dental Carelocated in Chandler AZ

are experienced and caring.

They know the best and most up-to-dateTechniques in dental care, including

TMJ pain relief treatment.

Visit the Site:

www.mychandlerdentists.com