Many people believe they have to go to the dentist if they experience jaw pain, but there are other options. Our providers at Pain Rehabilitation Associates will help diagnose and treat your Temporomandibular Joint Disorder also known as TMD or TMJ.
The temporomandibular joint connects the mandible (your lower jaw bone), to the base of your skull (the temporal bones), allowing you to chew, talk, and control jaw movement. When your jaw joints or the muscles around your joints get injured or stressed, this can result in severe pain in your facial muscles. TMD manifests as pain in the jaw, head, or neck, and can severely hinder one’s day-to-day activities.
TMD can cause pain in the form of jaw pain, neck pain, ear pain, and headaches. Pain from TMD can last for a short period of time, or it can last indefinitely, and it can interrupt even the most basic of activities like talking, eating, and breathing.
Identifying your pain:
It is our goal to get you back to optimal health. Our providers will work with you to determine the causes of your TMD pain to create a customized comprehensive treatment plan. During your evaluation, we will discuss your medical and dental history and conduct an examination of your jaw, neck muscles, and temporomandibular joints to identify the root cause of your symptoms. Past injury to your neck and jaw will be considered as possible causes and will be factored into your treatment plan.
Symptoms of TMD:
- Jaw pain or facial pain around your jaw, ears, neck, and cheeks
- Jaw stiffness
- Headaches
- Earache
- Jaw popping or clicking
- Pain when opening the jaw, or inability to completely open the jaw
- Locking of the jaw
- Pain while chewing or talking
- Tired facial muscles
- Inability to make the jaw line up properly
Causes of TMD:
- Jaw or neck injury
- Grinding and/or clenching your teeth, putting additional pressure on the joint
- Stress, causing you to put unnecessary pressure on the joints by clenching
- Soft tissue damage to the joints or the discs in the joint
- Arthritis
- Dislocation of the joints
- Improper jaw alignment
If you are suffering from TMD, don’t wait to get relief. Our physiatrists will work with you to create a personalized treatment plan so you can get back to enjoying better quality of life. Call us today at 888-YBN-PAIN for your appointment. We’ll help reduce your pain from TMD and improve your quality of life today!