Michael Iott Dental Blog

Temporomandibular jaw disorder, or TMD, is a broad term for a collection of jaw conditions caused by problems with the temporomandibular joint. This is the ball and socket joint that allows the lower jaw to open close and move sideways while chewing or speaking. When there the chewing muscles or jaw joints do not work together correctly, you may experience problems such as:

• Unexplained pain in the face, jaw or teeth
• Limitations in jaw movement

Identifying and treating TMD is one of the most rewarding parts of our practice. Sometimes, with just a simple adjustment to a patient's bite, relief from TMD pain and discomfort can be immediate. In my practice, treatment for TMD usually involves relaxation of the jaw muscles and restoration of the jaw joint back to its unstrained position. This can involve the utilization of plastic appliances or other adjustment of the teeth to correct any misalignments of the bite.

Many people don't even know that they have TMD, but attribute their pain to other causes such as migraine or stress. Ask yourself if you suffer from any of the following:

• Dull pain in your jaw joint or surrounding areas
• Problems using your jaw or inability to open the mouth comfortably
• Clicking or grating sounds from your jaw joint
• Locking of your jaw upon opening the mouth
• A bite that feels uncomfortable or misaligned
• Headache or neck, shoulder or back pain
• Swelling of you jaw or on the side of your face
• Dizziness
• Ringing in your ears or hearing loss

If any of this sounds familiar, please contact me today to schedule a consultation.