TMJ Treatments

The temporomandibular joint, or TMJ, is the joint that hinges the human jaw. It is one of the strongest joints in the human body, but, at the same time, is very sensitive to disturbances. TMJ disorders can be quite common yet they are still very misunderstood. One of the reasons for this is that there can be many different factors that lead to TMJ disorder and they can be hard to diagnose. If the cause of a person’s TMJ disorder is diagnosed and treated incorrectly, the problem will not go away, but instead become worse.

Most patients seen by our Los Angeles TMJ treatments expert report that the pain they feel is very severe. The pain and discomfort is not only located in the joint, but can spread throughout the face, neck, and ears. TMJ disorders can also cause terrible migraine headache in many patients. A condition known as lock jaw can be caused by severe TMJ issues and can be completely debilitating. Early signs of TMJ, before the extreme pain has set in, most often include a clicking or popping of the joint.

TMJ Treatments Los Angeles

Our expert in TMJ treatments in Los Angeles explains that the disorder can be caused by one of countless different issues, or a combination of several of them. Bruxism, or teeth grinding, is one of the most common causes along with misaligned bites, arthritis, trauma that causes dislocation, or stress. The first step in regaining the health of the jaw joint is to locate and eliminate the root cause of the problem.

Our Los Angeles TMJ treatments expert uses a very wide variety of treatments to help patients get back to health. To help those with severe pain, prescribed medication is usually the best form of relief. Muscle relaxers can eliminate the migraines associated with TMJ and they can also reduce teeth grinding if that is the suspected cause. More extreme treatments for advanced cases of TMJ include mouthpieces to align the jaw, injected neurotoxins to help alignment, and our expert in TMJ treatments in Los Angeles can even use surgery for the worst cases.

If you have begun to experience any of the symptoms associated with TMJ disorders, call our dentist in Los Angeles today to schedule an appointment so we can begin diagnosing the cause of those symptoms.