How Can I Tell I Have TMJ Disorder? Is the Condition Treatable?

Suffering from head pain or jaw soreness is your body’s way of signaling that something isn’t right. If the discomfort is temporary, it may not be a cause of concern. However, if it happens day after day for months or years, you should seek treatment. Often, constant headaches accompanied by symptoms like locked jaws and jaw pain are caused by TMJ pain. Luckily, TMJ disorder is easily diagnosed and treated at a dentist’s office.

Rugby Dental Arts of Charlottesville, Virginia, offers TMJ pain treatment to ensure you live a pain-free lifestyle. If you suspect or have been diagnosed with TMJ pain, please schedule an appointment with Dr. Gregory R Cox for pain relief.

Identifying TMJ pain

TMJ pain occurs when the two hinge-like joints (temporomandibular joints) at either side of the face become injured, strained, or inflamed. When healthy, TMJs aid in activities like chewing, talking, smiling, etc., without causing pain. However, when they malfunction, TMJs cause numerous unpleasant symptoms, including: 

• Jaw pain
• Headaches
• Limited jaw movement
• Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
• Popping or clicking sounds when opening and closing your mouth
• Ear and facial pain
• Muscle tenderness
• Painful chewing

The TMJs are complex joints, so it’s not always easy to diagnose the problem when they malfunction. In fact, many patients are often mis/undiagnosed with TMD, with their symptoms being dismissed as hormonal changes or “it’s nothing serious, it’s all in your head.” When you visit Dr. Bearley with TMJ symptoms, we’ll get to the root of your discomfort for proper treatment.

How we treat TMJ dysfunction

If TMJ pain has been a bane of your life, the good news is that the condition is treatable. Hint: the treatment doesn’t involve invasive procedures like surgery. Dr. Bearley uses oral appliance therapy (OAT) to treat TMJ pain. This therapy uses a custom-designed oral appliance to help your jaw muscles and joints relax and heal. 

Since many TMJ pain cases are caused by nighttime tooth grinding, a TMJ mouthguard is worn at night and removed when you wake up. When used as directed, the oral splint significantly reduces your symptoms. We may sometimes use additional therapies, such as jaw exercises and massages, in conjunction with the treatment.

TMJ treatment near me

If you suspect TMJ pain, don’t endure the pain any longer. Instead, please schedule an appointment with Rugby Dental Arts for treatment. You can book your appointment online or by calling (434) 443-8034.

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