Find Treatment for TMJ Disorder in Sterling Heights, MI [Video Q&A]

Does your jaw click or pop when you open or close your mouth? Or are you tired of constant jaw pain and tenderness? You’re likely dealing with TMJ disorder, commonly known as TMD. Your temporomandibular joint is the joint responsible for jaw movement. It lies beneath your ears and is essential for speaking, eating, and even yawning. When this joint is under heavy pressure, it causes intense pain that affects your daily life. If you’re dealing with TMJ disorder, we may have a treatment that will work for you! Book a free TMJ consultation at St. Apollonia Dental in Sterling Heights, MI, to learn what we can do for your jaw pain.

What Is TMJ Disorder?

TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorder (often called TMD or mistakenly referred to as TMJ) refers to your jaw joint. This anatomical structure is what keeps your smile functional, allowing you to chew and speak. But when moving your jaw becomes painful, there may be something wrong with your temporomandibular joint.

Patients with TMJ disorder often experience issues like:

• Jaw pain
• Clicking or popping
• Jaw stiffness or locking
• Headaches
• Ear pain or ringing
• Bite changes

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, we encourage you to seek professional help.

While there are TMJ specialists who provide advanced treatment, TMD typically stems from overworked chewing muscles. When your jaw joint is under too much pressure or strain, you’ll likely experience these symptoms as the joint tightens. At St. Apollonia Dental, we have seen many TMD cases and helped countless patients.

Some cases may require the expertise of a specialist. But we find that about 80% of TMD problems are caused by jaw strain, which we can help address.

Is There TMJ Disorder Treatment?

There are a few treatments for TMJ disorder, but at St. Apollonia, we offer the simplest, most cost-effective one: a mouth or night guard.

This appliance fits over your upper teeth as a flat covering made of plastic, allowing your jaw to relax in a more comfortable position. A bite guard is similar to a splint you may wear on a sprained wrist, but instead, it’s called a temporomandibular splint. With a splint or mouth guard in place, your jaw can relax wherever it falls naturally, preventing it from overworking and causing strain.

Too much strain or pressure on your muscles causes spasms, which can create constant clicking noises or joint pain. Instead of moving smoothly, the jaw jumps and stretches your joint too thin, causing it to snap or pop. A mouth guard helps protect the joint, forcing the muscles to relax and move smoothly.

At our office, we recommend wearing a mouth guard overnight for TMJ treatment. Patients with TMJ disorder often also grind their teeth, which causes great damage to their enamel. But by wearing a night guard, you protect against unconscious grinding, which exacerbates the effects of TMJ disorder. In some cases, you may need to wear a bite guard during the day. But for the most part, patients wear a TMJ splint at night and wake up feeling more comfortable.

Visit Us in Sterling Heights, MI, for Jaw Pain Relief

If you’re struggling with the effects of TMD, we recommend booking a visit. TMJ disorder can cause problems like intense pain, stiffness in your jaw, and even bite changes, as your jaw shifts. Fortunately, St. Apollonia Dental has a solution! We offer custom-made night guards that fit over your smile. This guard helps keep your jaw in place, preventing it from spasming due to pressure. Book a free consultation in Sterligh Heights, MI, to learn what a bite guard can do for you as TMJ treatment.

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