16 Clappison Ave unit d2-04, Waterdown, ON L8B 0Y2.

TMJ Treatment in Waterdown

If you have difficulty opening and closing your mouth or a sore jaw, then you might know how severely it can affect your life. This means you might have inflammation in TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint) and the disorder you are suffering from is TMD (Temporomandibular Disorder). Our dental experts will guide you with the needed TMJ therapy in Waterdown and help you find relief.

Know that your jaw pain is not normal

One thing that you need to understand is that your jaw pain is not normal. Delaying your treatment, by thinking so, is not a good idea.

In TMD, both of your jaw joints get affected due to any kind of infection, sudden dislocation or malalignment, and the TMJ and surrounding area get inflamed. This may cause pain, swelling, and discomfort.

tmmj

Understanding the signs of TMJ disorder

As per our expert dentists at Magnolia Dental in Waterdown, women are more likely to suffer from TMJ pain than men. We want to educate you and our existing patients about some warning signs and symptoms that TMD presents:
  • Pain and tenderness around TMJ
  • Headache
  • Earache
  • Ringing in the ears
  • Clicking, the popping of the jaw
  • Difficulty while opening and closing your mouth
  • Difficulty while yawning
  • Muscle pain around your head and shoulders
  • Chronic neck ache
  • Jaw pain peaking in the morning or around late evening
  • If you notice any changes in the way your teeth fit together
However, for many people, this kind of pain won’t last long. But for others, it might get worse over time if left untreated. That is why we encourage you to book an appointment with our experts if you are experiencing any of these symptoms.

How do we diagnose and treat TMJ disorder?

In most cases, your dentist will diagnose TMJ dysfunction during a regular dental checkup. Your healthcare provider will perform a comprehensive clinical examination to check your jaw mobility, bite, range of motion, and tooth occlusion. They may check and palpate (press) the area around your TMJ to identify the sites of pain or discomfort. We will check for any clicking and popping sounds over the joint while you chew or open and close your mouth.

Apart from this, if you have stress or anxiety issues, it may accelerate or trigger the problem of bruxism or teeth grinding, which in turn increases the TMD.

We often recommend a customized bite splint or mouth guard as an initial therapy for TMD.

In addition to your routine dental examination, our expert may advise you to undergo the following diagnostic procedures to look for any joint or soft tissue issues.

  • Dental X-rays
  • CT scans
  • MRI

The treatment we offer:

In some cases, the symptoms of TMJ may go away without any treatment. However, if your symptoms persist, our experts might recommend a variety of treatment options.

We might include more than one treatment option for your treatment, if necessary. Our treatment options might include bite-splints, which are customized night guards designed to fit over your teeth. This will help reduce clenching or unnecessary grinding and biting, which often worsens TMD over time.

These splints are helpful enough in removing unwanted stress from the surrounding area.

Alternative treatment options:

Along with these above-mentioned treatment options, the following medications will also help in relieving pain associated with TMJ.

  • TCA(Tricyclic anti-depressants): Though these are most commonly used for depression, in controlled doses, these can pain relief and reduce the frequency of bruxism at night.
  • Pain relievers: If you don’t find relief from OTC (over-the-counter) pain medication, your dentist may prescribe stronger pain relievers for a limited time.
  • Muscle relaxants: These medications may help in relieving pain and muscle spasms that happen due to stress and tension caused by muscle relaxants.
  • Stress management: If you have stress or anxiety issues and grind your teeth because of stress, you should practice techniques and strategies that promote relaxation and reduce the stress level, such as meditation. It usually involves slowing down your mind and creating a sense of calm that will help you to relax.
  • Physiotherapy: Physiotherapy is helpful in managing stress and offers a lot of relaxation strategies including breathing techniques or stretching. This will help in lowering the stress level and relieve any tension that could trigger your bruxism.

Our dentists may recommend anyone or a combination of these options in addition to traditional TMJ therapy for relieving your jaw pain.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which doctor is best for TMJ treatment?

If you are suffering from pain or discomfort related to your jaw or TMJ, you should consult a TMJ therapy dentist near you. They are not only specialized doctors for the set of 32 teeth, but they are also trained and skilled in jaw anatomy and diseases related to the same.

Who is the best TMJ dentist near me?

If you are looking for the best TMJ therapy in Waterdown, you can always count on our expert TMJ dentist at Magnolia Dental. Here, we provide quality TMJ services by keeping excellence at the forefront.

How do you permanently cure TMJ?

TMJ pain is not an irreversible condition, and with proper treatment, it can be cured permanently. A custom-made splint and physical therapy for jaw pain can be beneficial. In severe cases, arthroscopy surgery and TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) can also be done to cure pain.

Can you fix TMJ without surgery?

In most cases, TMJ pain can be relieved in various non-surgical ways, like using custom made splints, relaxing facial muscles, taking over-the-counter medications, and practicing jaw exercises. Surgery is often regarded as a last-resort treatment for TMJ pain. However, in most cases, it is not recommended by many medical experts.Â