TMJ & TMD Treatment

Just as a bridge has to be appropriately structured to carry a great deal of weight, your mouth functions in a very similar manner. Your teeth, jaw, and neck all have to fit together correctly for you to perform biological functions such as biting and chewing. Even the slightest misalignment can throw the entire system off, causing pain, limited range of motion, dizziness, and fatigue.

That is where we come in. With the help of new, non-surgical technology, Dr. Renee Yurovsky has the precise skill and training to help you obtain your bite’s comfortable position and provide pain relief through TMJ care.

If you have been experiencing chronic jaw pain in your head or face or are undergoing jaw joint dysfunction, the pain stems from a disorder in the temporomandibular joint, which you may not realize you have. There are sounds of clicking, popping, or grinding in the jaw joint area when the mouth is opening or closing. In addition, there is a significant change in how the upper and lower teeth fit together all of a sudden. Temporomandibular disorder (TMD), also known as (TMJ), is a painful and uncomfortable affliction to endure.

This disorder primarily targets the facial muscles and jawline, causing jaw pain to course through the regions when mouth movement is attempted. TMD is associated with the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), located at the side of your head, which coordinates the top part of the temporal bone and the lower jawbone, known as your mandible.

Patients experience much frustration when suffering from this disorder, as they often bounce around from one medical doctor to the next without conclusively being diagnosed. Without a definite prognosis, patients are left in prolonged drug therapy sessions and, in some cases, are misdiagnosed as psychosomatic illnesses. Dr. Yurovsky has dealt with numerous TMJ cases and has properly diagnosed and treated this jaw dysfunction.

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) allows for your jaw’s side-to-side movement and sliding motions. In essence, this joint is responsible for allowing your mouth to chew food. Enabling adjustments to the jaw region and, in effect, allowing your mouth to help form words when speaking. A temporomandibular joint disorder may result from injury to the jaw, arthritis, or habits such as grinding your teeth at night. Different types of jaw pain may result from this disorder, depending on how minor or severe your condition is.

Some of the following common TMJ stress symptoms may result from these disorders:

• Earaches
• Frequent headaches
• Pain opening or closing the mouth
• Limited movement of the jaw
• Clicking or grating noises with jaw movement

In some cases, however, the discomfort of the jaw is not related to TMJ disorder. Stress can play a huge factor in making muscles in the jaw tense, resulting in similar symptoms linked to TMJ disorder. Special imaging techniques may be required to properly diagnose and correct jaw problems accordingly.

TMJ and TMD Treatment Dentist

Your course of treatment depends on the severity of your diagnosis and the damage to the joint. In most cases, a Night Guard is the most effective way to prevent damage caused by the clenching and grinding of the teeth.

Dr. Yurovsky will fashion your night guard to fit your bite’s structure by taking an impression of your teeth. This impression is then sent to a lab where your night guard will be constructed to match it. A personalized night guard can be effective in the majority of cases.