TMJ Solution

A technical understanding of TMD / TMJ

2010-09-18T22:41:00.000-07:00

TMD X-Ray and Tomography

Temporomandibular joint tomographic x-rays play a valuable role in diagnosis and treatment. Recent studies have concluded that a fairly high rate of unexpected new osseous and positional findings support the need for tomograms in patients with a clinical diagnosis of derangement or joint pathology. Approximately forty to fifty percent of tomographic radiographic examinations produced a change in diagnosis.

Tomography is medically necessary to evaluate bony changes in the condyle and temporal bone such as flattening, erosion, and sclerosis. Condylar position and asymmetries of mandibular anatomy can be most clearly evaluated with the exacting multiple slice technology of tomography. Additionally, the ability to screen for additional abnormalities such as tumors or cysts is provided by tomographic radiography.

References:

Efficacy of TMJ radiographs in terms of expected versus actual findings, UCLA, Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology 1995;79:367-81

Care for Temporomandibular Disorder Cervical and Facial Myositis and Cephalgia

Treatment consisted of maxillary and mandibular orthopedic repositioning appliances to recapture the displaced discs. The maxillary appliance serves as a stabilizer for sleeping and reclining to offset gravitational forces. This appliance is very bulky in the anterior area and would greatly impede mastication and speaking.

The mandibular appliance was fabricated and is intended for daytime use and can be used for mastication and usual daily activities.

TMD Trauma

A study in the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation in 1996 titled “Trauma in Patients with Temporomandibular Disorders: frequency and treatment outcome” was to assess the incidence of jaw injury in TMD patients and to compare the severity of the symptoms, the clinical characteristics and the treatment outcome in TMD patients with or without a history of trauma to the head and neck region directly linked to the onset of symptoms. The study sample included 400 consecutive TMD clinical patients. In 24.5% of patients the onset of the pain and dysfunction could be linked directly to the trauma, mainly whiplash accidents.

No significant differences could be found between the two groups in daily recurrent headache, dizziness, neck pain, joint crepitation and pain in the joints. Maximal mouth opening was less than 2-0 mm in 14.3% of patient with a history of trauma and in 4.1% of those without such a history. According to the Helkimo dysfunction index (DI), more trauma than non-trauma TMD patients belonged to the severe dysfunction groups (DI 4 and 5) at first examination.

The outcome of a conservative treatment procedure (counseling, occlusal splint, physiotherapy, occasionally occlusal therapy and non-steroidal antiinflammation drugs was not different between the two groups at the 1 year evaluation. The degree of maximal opening was similar: less than 20 mm in 3.7% and 2.2% in trauma and non-trauma patients respectively.

Forty percent and 41% respectively were symptom free or had DU = 1. The results suggest that external trauma to the joint or to the jaw in general is an important initiating factor in the etiology of TMD and also that the prognosis is favorable.

Treating for a Temporomandibular Disorder and Cephalgia

The necessity for range of motion movements is as follows:

Taking range of motion movements is an accepted test for diagnosis and treatment of temporomandibular disorders. The measurements are a tool to evaluate progress and assist in treatment decisions. Normal range of motion for mandibular opening is approximately 50 mm with 12 mm being the norm for right and left lateral excursions. A reduced opening with difficult excursion may indicate a severe trismus or a closed lock of the temporomandibular joint. An opening much above the norm may indicate hypermobility and stretched ligaments in the jaw joint.

A Clinical Outline of Temporomandibular Joint Diagnosis and Treatment, by Dr. William B. Farrar and Dr. William L. McCarty examines in detail the necessity for various range of motion measurements and is suggested reading.

TMJ Treatment / Restorative

2010-09-14T03:57:00.000-07:00

Surgical procedures and/or an orthopedic repositioning appliance were provided to reposition the mandible, relieve muscle pain, edema, nerve impingement and recapture the displaced articular disc.

Restorative procedures are necessary to complete orthopedic stability of the mandible and maintain the current jaw position. A specific court ruling regarding insurance cases states:

Goss v. Medical Service of the District of Columbia, DC Court of Appeals, No. 81 1276, 13 June 1983.

The medical insurer’s position was that restorative bridge work is considered dentistry. The patient’s position was that the crowns were medically necessary to correct a malpositioned jaw.

Court results: “There was no need for the crown and bridge work independent of the jaw. In fact the crowns were directly related to and required by the medical condition affecting the jaw. The treatment did not treat the teeth or tooth relationship as the patient’s teeth were used only to support the devices required to stabilize the jaw position.”

A Medical Necessity

Clinical examination revealed: articular disk disorder, muscle spasm, and cephalgia.
An orthopedic jaw stabilization orthotic was placed to position the condyles in the fossa in a more true anatomical position, reduce stress to the jaw joint, increase joint space, allow remodeling of the condyle, heal retrodiscal tissue, capture the dislocated articular disc, provide proper alignment of the mandible to the skull, reduce myospasm and pain, and maintain the muscles of mastication in proper physiologic resting length.

This appliance is orthopedic and neuromuscular treatment and should be considered as a medical necessity by the insurer.

TMJ and Otrthodontics

2010-08-13T16:32:00.000-07:00

Post Surgical Orthotic / Medical Necessity

A post-surgical orthotic device is designed to allow healing of the retrodiscal tissue and stabilize the mechanism of the temporomandibular joint. The orthotic is important for rehabilitation. Without it, extreme pressure and intra-articular edema could result. Postsurgical orthotic therapy is used to position the jaw in a similar fashion as if a stabilization splint or cast were used post-operatively on a knee, hip or any other joint. The orthotic therapy is treatment to bone, cartilage, ligaments, and muscles and should be handled as a medical necessity by insurance carriers.

Orthodontics

Symptoms of headaches, facial pain, and dizziness. Objective findings included limited range of motion, muscle tenderness upon palpation (masseter, temporalis, bilateral), crepitus of the temporomandibular joint, and deviation of the jaw upon opening and closing. Maxillary and mandibular interdental fixation devices (CPT 21110) were placed to provide a stable jaw position. Treatment was not to the teeth but was orthopedic and neuromuscular in nature. Courts have ruled on similar insurance claims sent to medical insurance that “devices used to treat the patient’s condition were intended to relieve pain from the mandibular joint rather than to correct dental problems. Reasonable minds would not inevitably conclude that, as a matter of law, procedures performed were “dental services” excluded from coverage under health policy”. Because of the medical nature of the diagnosis, treatment should be considered as a medical necessity.

Agony of the daily grind…

2010-07-15T05:33:00.000-07:00

DO YOU wake up in the morning with an aching jaw, headache, and difficulty opening your mouth? You have probably been grinding your teeth.

Regular grinding, known as bruxism, can wear teeth away and almost rivals snoring on the annoyance scale.

- Stress is believed to be a major role in the condition and it is also linked to the non-alignment of the top and bottom teeth.

- The mind subconsciously tries to correct the position during sleep, triggering the grinding.

- Other causes include snoring and sleep apnoea, where the upper airway relaxes during sleep causing blockage of airflow.

- Drinking tea and coffee or alcohol before going to bed can also increase the chance of tooth grinding.

- Some may be unaware they are grinding away so it’s worth asking the dentist for a check-up.

- Damage to teeth can often be repaired and there are mouth-guards available to help protect from further damage.

You may have to wear this mouth-guard for life and it’s worth finding out if it needs to be renewed as your teeth change.

- If the grinding is due to misalignment you should talk to your dentist about a brace.

- Other possible remedies include hypnosis and behavioural therapy to allow you relax.

- Avoid chewing gum: the repetitive action of chewing is almost identical to the motion of the jaw during bruxism.

- Hold a warm, damp cloth to your face before bedtime to relax the jaw.

Painful Headaches And Jaw Pain?

2010-07-09T17:52:00.000-07:00

Do you clench and grind your teeth? Are you waking up with painful headaches that radiate from your temples, ears or jaw? Do you have limited mouth opening? Do you have sensitive teeth, loose teeth or toothaches in the absence of tooth decay? Do you have crowns or cosmetic veneers that constantly come off and need to be re-cemented periodically? Do you have clicking or popping of your jaw joint?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you may be suffering from a common problem known as TMJ Disorder, an often misunderstood or misdiagnosed condition. In our 18 years of experience Downtown, we have successfully treated thousands of patients for this problem. Our experience has led us to believe that TMJ Disorder is prevalent in the Downtown population.

The Downtown patient works on average more than 40 hours per week and shoulders most of the responsibilities in the household. This results in high levels of stress due to the high pressures of daily life. There is no doubt that stress is a major factor in increasing the symptoms of TMJ, but contrary to what most people believe, it’s not the primary cause. The primary causes are reflexes that are triggered by the teeth that cause spasms of the numerous muscles of the jaw, neck and face.

Most joints of the body are fixed in a hinge axis. This is the same movement a door makes when it’s opening and closing from its hinge. The jaw joint is the only joint in the body that is able to slide out of its socket. Because it can do this, it’s able to deviate from its hinge axis and do the complex motion of chewing, an ability we all take for granted.

If teeth occlude (come together) at the hinge axis position of the jaw, most people would be fine. However, if the teeth developed in a position where the bite occludes outside this hinge axis, where the jaw is slightly protruded from the socket, then there is a potential for TMJ symptoms. The average person cannot tell if their bite comes together forward of this hinge axis, only observing that their jaw is intermittently sore or they have a sudden, uncontrollable urge to clench and grind their teeth. Only a properly trained dental professional can diagnose if the teeth are occluding outside of this hinge axis position.

The initial treatment for TMJ Disorder is relatively simple and noninvasive. However, it does require thorough care by a dental professional. We simply make a custom TMJ splint, adjusting it meticulously at several appointments so that the patient’s teeth come together on the device in the ideal hinge axis position. After achieving proper adjustment the splint will eventually neutralize the harmful reflexes. A mouth guard from a drugstore or by mail order will not resolve TMJ Disorder because it will be arbitrarily set to a bite position. After wearing a proper TMJ splint for only 48 hours, the TMJ patient will notice a difference. They will find that their jaw feels more rested, headaches occur less frequently and teeth sensitivity is resolved.

For the most part, TMJ Disorder can be managed with splint therapy. But fixing the bite itself could be required if an individual cannot wear a splint indefinitely, by either re-contouring certain teeth, doing crowns and/or veneers, doing orthodontic treatment or a combination of any of these treatments. But contrary to what most people have heard, there is an effective treatment for this disorder. At the same time, if not treated and ignored, it will worsen, resulting in breaking teeth, worsening gum disease and/or severe jaw joint damage requiring painful surgeries.

About Temporomandibular Joint Disorder

2010-07-01T08:12:00.000-07:00

TMD is difficult to diagnose because the symptoms of TMD can mimic those of many other conditions. If you are suffering from jaw pain, you may have TMD.

Is your jaw giving you pain?

If so, you may have TMD. Tempomandibular jaw disease, or TMD, is a broad term for a collection of jaw conditions characterized by problems such as:

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

How is TMD diagnosed?

TMD is difficult to diagnose because the symptoms of TMD can mimic those of many other conditions. For example, facial pain can be a symptom of a sinus or ear infection, abscessed tooth, migraine or any type of nerve related facial condition. A dentist experienced in diagnosing and treating TMD, such as those at the Art of Smile Making, will perform a complete medical evaluation including a detailed medical history and physical examination of your face, head, neck and jaw areas before making a diagnosis and recommending a course of treatment for TMD.

What are the symptoms of TMD?

While symptoms of TMD vary, the most common symptoms include:

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

How is TMD treated?

Treatment for TMD 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.

If TMD has been present a long time or if the patient is suffering severe trauma, more involved medical or dental procedures may be required. Because untreated TMD may result in increasing discomfort or arthritis of the jaw joint, early detection is the goal.

Who suffers from TMD?

It is estimated that over 10 million people in the United States currently suffer from TMD. Significantly, while both men and women experience TMD, approximately 90 percent of the patients seeking treatment for TMD are women in their childbearing years. Research indicates that women seek treatment for TMD at a higher rate than men and that women are more likely than men to report ongoing pain associated with TMD. Also, research performed by the NIDCR has documented a correlation between hormone replacement therapy and oral contraceptive therapy with pain treatment. This may explain why more women tend to suffer symptoms and seek help for TMD pain.

Can TMJ Cause Arthritis?

2010-06-25T22:54:00.000-07:00

TMJ or temporomandibular joint is located right in front of the ears, right on the spot where the lower jaw and upper jaw meet. Open your mouth and feel the ball and socket joints in front of your ears. Close your mouth. The bones that are moving there are your temporomandibular joints. You see, these joints are used several times in a day. You use it when you eat, speak, yawn, and bite. Indeed, it is one of the most used joints in your body. The TMJ is a very complex joint. It is composed of a complicated array of muscles, bones, and tendons.

TMJ disorders or problems of these joints do occur. When that happens, stiffness, ear pain, headaches, clicking sounds, bite problems, and locked jaws can be expected. In worse cases, arthritis may also occur. TMJ can cause arthritis if not treated right away. The most usual underlying conditions of TMJ disorders are teeth grinding problems, habitual fingernail biting, too much gum chewing, dental problems, teeth misalignment, jaw trauma, and stress. It is very important that these conditions are addressed right away so that they won’t evolve into arthritis.
TMJ disorders have a set of symptoms. You know you have it if you experience recurring headaches. You would also feel facial pains from time to time. The pain may start on the joints and spread over the head and the face. It could get worse as you open and close your jaw. The contraction of the jaws is painful, more so if you’re exposed to the cold weather or relatively cold surroundings.

Patients of TMJ disorders would also experience ear pain. Half of the people with TMJ will have ear pain without any signs of infection. The pain is usually associated to the joints and it can be felt somewhere below or in front of the ears. If there were no ear drainage or hearing loss associated with the ear pain you’re feeling, then TMJ is the most likely culprit.

TMJ patients can expect to hear clicking, crunching, grinding, or popping sounds when they open and close their mouth. Pain may accompany these sounds too. Dizziness is also likely. People suffering from TMJ may experience balance problems and vague dizziness from time to time.

Tinnitus and fullness of the ear may also occur to people with TMJ disorders. Their ears may feel clogged or muffled. This feeling is compounded during airplane landings and takeoffs. Ear fullness is associated with the dysfunction of the Eustachian tube. Because of the hyperactive muscles in that part on people with TMJ, this symptom becomes almost natural. On the other hand, patients with tinnitus due to TMJ would experience relief from their condition once the joint disorder is resolved.

Improper brushing can be destructive for teeth and gums

2010-06-17T09:45:00.000-07:00

We all know that we need to brush and floss every day. Proper brushing removes food debris and bacteria from the teeth. Improper brushing can be abrasive and destructive, causing problems like: receding gums, wearing away of the tooth root, sensitive teeth or weaker teeth. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if you’re brushing destructively, and brushing habits can be hard to break. To avoid destructive tooth brushing these are some factors to keep in mind.

Choose a soft toothbrush. A soft toothbrush also makes it much easier to remove the plaque below the gumline, where periodontal disease starts. You can make the bristles even softer by running hot water over them before use.

Use a pea-sized amount of non-abrasive toothpaste with fluoride. Toothpastes that are labeled “whitening” or “tartar control” can sometimes be too rough on receding gums and exposed roots, wearing away the root’s protective layer. You can be sure a toothpaste is non-abrasive if it’s labeled “sensitive.”

Use proper brushing technique. Angle the bristles of the brush along the gumline at a 45-degree angle and apply just enough pressure so the bristles slide under the gumline. Vibrate the brush while you move it in short back-and-forth strokes and in small circular motions.

Don’t brush too hard. If you’re not sure whether you’re pressing too hard, hold the end of the brush with two fingers. That will give you enough force to get the job done without doing damage. You can also check your brush bristles. If they are bent over or broken, you’ve probably been pressing too hard. If you find that you have a hard time brushing gently, consider using an electric toothbrush. Electric toothbrushes make it much easier to use less pressure.

Tooth abrasion is caused mainly from improper brushing but can also be caused by grinding your teeth, using your teeth as a cutting tool or chewing on hard objects. Tooth abrasion can occur gradually over a period of time or very quickly. Gradual tooth abrasion allows the body to reduce the severity of tooth abrasion as the body has sufficient time to repair itself. Quick tooth abrasion can cause irreversible damage to the pulp and lead to the consequences of tooth abrasion which not only include crooked teeth but also increase tooth sensitivity, infection and ultimately loss of the tooth.

Talk to your dentist about any of your concerns on brushing or other causes of tooth abrasion. Let them show you what you need to know to keep your mouth healthy and bacteria-free without damaging your teeth.

Neuromuscular Dentistry

2010-06-11T20:04:00.000-07:00

There is a relatively new area of dentistry that deals with the whole mouth in a more holistic approach. It’s called neuromuscular dentistry. The word holistic is not a mystical new age shamanism, but simply means that the mouth and all its moving parts are taken into consideration when evaluating mouth pain; it is taken as a whole.

Neuromuscular dentistry is primarily concerned with treating a common disorder of the jaw joint known as Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, or TMD.

What is TMD?

It is a misaligned jaw joint. The jaw joint is in front of each ear. It’s where the lower jaw (mandible) meets the temporal bone of the skull. Inflammation and pain associated with this joint occur with regularity. A neuromuscular dentist diagnoses and treats TMD.

A Simple Guide On What Is TMJ

2010-06-02T19:25:00.000-07:00

When people talk about things that are discussed a lot or about conditions and situations that involve words that are hard to pronounce, they usually use initials as a stand-in for the real words. This is especially common when it comes to talking about diseases or medical conditions.

One example of this is when people talk about the temporomandibular joint. Rather than saying the whole word every time they talk about it, they usually just say “TMJ.”

What is TMJ? What problems does a person face when they suffer from TMJ?

The temporomandibular joint is a ball and socket joint. It is located on both sides of your face and it is responsible for moving your jaw. Whenever you open or close your mouth (or move your lower jaw in a side-to-side), you are using the TMJ. Both parts of the joint (the ball and the socket) are cartilage-covered and are separated by a small sized disk. This disk is there to absorb a small amount of the shock that comes from using your TMJ and it helps with the joint’s free form movement.

Usually the TMJ will work without you having to worry much about it. Every once in a while, however, some people encounter severe problems when the joint fails to work correctly. Between five and fifteen percent of the population has problems with their TMJ at least once in his or her life. While a lot of the problems that most people experience aren’t severe, there are some people who have to deal with extreme problems when the TMJ fails to work correctly.

One of the most prolific problems with the temporomandibular joint is a clicking sound. While this isn’t considered severe or even classified as a real disorder it happens because the termporomandibular joint isn’t working correctly. Other intense problems that happen with TMJ are jaws that are not aligned correctly or an overly worked joint that has been worn down because its owner has been grinding his or her teeth or has a habit of chewing on pens or pencils. Problems with the TMJ can also cause uneven bites. Uneven bites can induce intense headaches or jaw aches with pain that radiates up into the ear area. These problems make eating incredibly uncomfortable and your jaw might hurt even when it is still.

If you are having problems with your TMJ, your dentist or physician can probably help you treat your problems. Often your dentist will refer you to an orthodontist because many of the problems associated with TMJ result from teeth that don’t line up correctly or inappropriate biting or clenching habits. While some problems are small and can be dealt with simply and matter of factly, other problems are more severe and will require extended dental and medical treatments.

Treating Bruxism Through Hypnosis

2010-05-27T19:18:00.000-07:00

Right now, hypnosis is used to treat a lot of behavioral problems. And during the recent years, experts are taking advantage of its use for bruxism. Bruxism is the medical term for teeth grinding. Teeth grinding is that annoying sound people unknowingly make while asleep. Bruxism can be caused by a lot of factors. Research show that bruxism could develop due to the physical defects of the jaws and teeth.

However, stress is also a big factor why people grind their teeth at night. And it is also on this cause where hypnosis is most effective at. Practitioners say that hypnosis is the best solution to bruxism caused by jaw tension. While a night guard may do a good job in preventing denture damages, it cannot reduce the pain in the head and the neck that are also caused by teeth grinding.

Bruxism patients are required to attend a 30-minute hypnosis session to correct the problem. The therapy could be just one session or more, depending upon the patient’s mental stature. Inside the session, the subconscious of the patient are be taught to feel the sensation created when the upper and lower teeth touches each other. And the moment that happens, the mind is instructed to relax the jaw muscles and create a comfortable space between the teeth. For people who find going to a therapist a little too much on their budget, they could opt for a bruxism hypnosis CD instead.

The CD is best used before sleeping so it is easier to achieve a state of total relaxation. Some people report that using a hypnosis CD is as effective as the one conducted personally by a hypnotherapist. On the average, patients who subjected themselves to hypnosis session for bruxism claim that they experience relief two to three nights after the therapy session.

Luckier patients go through immediate relief. This means that right at the night of the therapy session, they don’t grind their teeth any longer. However, it is important to note that hypnosis, just like other treatment methods, is a healing process. Patients should not be too impatient on the results of the therapy. It could take some time to work, especially on people whose minds are not too accommodative to these types of treatment procedures. If you want to try hypnosis as a permanent solution to bruxism, talk to a hypnotic expert whose proficiency lies on the treatment of bruxism. Local therapists who had gained reputation in the practice are your best choices.

Can A Chiropractor Fix TMJ Pain?

2010-05-20T10:06:00.000-07:00

The popularity of chiropractors continues to grow daily as more people begin to realize the importance to total body health. Along with a good diet and exercise, Chiropractic care plays an instrumental role in maintaining good health by keeping the spine and nervous system operating like a well oiled machine.

Consequently, chiropractors can help relieve the intense pain associated with TMJ or Temporal Mandibular Joint Dysfunction.

Most people never think about it, but the ability to speak, chew and swallow or even yawn is a result of the jaw acting as a hinge to connect the mandible with the skull.

TMJ can be a very serious problem and can be caused by such things as teeth grinding, habitual gum chewing, dental problems, stress, injury, or arthritis. TMJ results when the jaw joint becomes displaced or the surrounding muscles or tendons are irritated. The results are pain and tenderness of the jaw muscle, inability to open the jaw, chew or talk, headaches, dizziness, and/or muffled hearing.

A chiropractor can help with treating TMJ in two ways:

Providing Chiropractic adjustments to the neck and/or jaw
Recommending special exercise, diet, and lifestyle changes to help speed healing and prevent a relapse.

Chiropractors work to solve problems caused from TMJ by implementing a detailed study of the spine, followed by individual treatment once they have made a diagnosis. Treatment usually includes adjusting the neck or jaw. Chiropractors are very successful treating TMJ. Relief can be immediate or may happen over time.

Chiropractors are concerned with not only treating patients until their pain dissipates, but also assuring their problems are permanently eliminated.

What are some of the philosophical elements associated with chiropractic care? Among them:

1. Naturalism
2. Rationalism
3. Holism

Chiropractic care focuses on the total human body, in the belief that is inter-related with both the environment and individuals’ lifestyles.

Chiropractors can recommend certain muscle spasm relieving exercises that help relax jaw muscles and provide relaxation. Meditation and massage are some of the other methodologies adopted by the chiropractor to treat patients.

In many cases, chiropractic care is proven to be more effective than drugs and medicines. Not only is it more effective, it helps patients through care that is gentler, cheaper, and does not include the potential for negative results later.

Most people suffering from pain believe medication will provide quick relief for their problems. This is sometimes true, but medications only provide temporary relief of pain and do nothing to eliminate its causes. Medications may also result in harmful side-effects.

Surgery is another option for TMJ. But surgery can be costly, demand time away from work and other activities during recovery, and can be dangerous.

How To Stop Bruxism – How To Stop Grinding Your Teeth Permanently

2010-05-15T06:25:00.000-07:00

Perhaps you are wondering how to stop bruxism permanently. Or maybe you are wondering if you are suffering from bruxism.

The problem here is that people who are suffering from bruxism may not know that they are a victim because it usually occurs at night while they are sleeping. Unless they have room mates sleeping in the same room, it may take some time before they find out about their condition.

Perhaps, you may want to look out for the following symptoms. If you are suffering from most of the symptoms described below, it is quite likely that you are grinding your teeth at night.

1) You always have unexplained headaches in the morning
2) Your teeth is sensitive to hot and cold food
3) You always wake up at night for no apparent reason
4) You have some chips on your teeth and you don’t know why
5) Your jaws feel very tight and painful, especially in the morning

If you are suffering from these symptoms, it may be time for you to seek treatment. Depending on the causes of your bruxism, the right treatment can stop your bruxism permanently.

The common causes of bruxism includes stress, dental problems and side effects caused by drugs. The respective treatments are stress reduction therapy, surgery to fix your dental problem and the change of drugs.

In these treatment doesn’t help you to stop your bruxism, a dentist may give you a bruxism mouth guard that you have to wear in your mouth. While this is not a permanent solution to stop bruxism, it can at least prevent you from damaging your teeth in the short run.

How To Stop Bruxism – Is There A Permanent Cure for Bruxism

2010-05-05T19:48:00.000-07:00

Are you trying to find out how to stop bruxism? Is there really a cure for bruxism that can treat bruxism permanently?

Well, it depends on what are the causes of your teeth grinding. Depending on the causes, the treatment meted out will be different.

Here are some common causes and treatment of bruxism:

1) Stress
It is said that stress is the number one cause of bruxism. In this situation, the most obvious cure is to work on your stress level. There are many things that you can do to reduce stress.
Exercises like yoga and taiji are very effective in relieving stress. You may even try to relax before you sleep by listening to some relaxing music. If your conditon is caused by stress, this approach can be very effective in stopping bruxism.

2) Drugs
Certain drugs may cause bruxism as a side effect. Consult your doctors and dentists and find out what is the actual problem. If the drugs are causing you to grind your teeth at night, sometimes, all that is necessary is for your doctor to change the drug that you are consuming.

3) Defect in your teeth structure
Sometimes, dental problems can also cause bruxism. A possible treatment may be to perform surgery to correct your teeth structure. You will want to consult your dentist about it.

What happens if the methods described above doesn’t stop bruxism. In such a situation, you dentist may give you a night guard for you to wear inside your mouth. However, this is not a permanent solution as you are still grinding your teeth. The only difference is that now, you are damaging the mouth guard instead of your own teeth.

While bruxism is not a very serious disease, you should try to stop bruxism as soon as possible it as it can lead to very serious, long term damage to your teeth if you don’t start doing something about it now.

Are TMJ Symptoms Reversible Without TMJ Surgery?

2010-04-28T19:16:00.000-07:00

Do you think you have TMJ and are looking for a dentist or therapist to help with TMJ relief?
First let’s discuss some of the symptoms so that you are clear about what to watch for and take care of -

TMJ Symptoms:

Your jaw hurts especially when talking, yawning or chewing
You can’t open your mouth wide. It may get so bad you can’t open more than two inches.
You also feel pain in your neck, shoulders or ears.
Teeth Grinding Jaw Clicking

Does that sound like you?

It is the muscles that control your jaws that are the problem. One set of muscles pulls in one direction to open your mouth and another set of muscle pull in another way to close your mouth. If your muscles are stressed in certain ways, tired or overworked, they won’t open or close your jaw properly.

So what to do about it? You could see someone such as a dentist or a physical therapist and they can assist you. Or read on and I will give you another suggestion.

Some things that may be suggested:

A dentist may tell you that you need a mouthguard to realign your jaw. You can try one of those, but the problem I see with it, is when you stop, your jaw will sometimes pull back to where it was, because the most common cause of the problem is muscle pull. That is not taken care of with a mouthguard

You may be told to consciously relax your shoulders, face and jaw muscles to ease TMJ symptoms.
Sleep on your back or side, as sleeping face down pushes your face to the side, causing pressure on the jaw.
Surgery may be suggested. Be sure to try looking at other means to correct your problem first.

Some diet tips:

Eliminate Caffeine, or seriously cut back on it. Those who drink caffeine tend to clench their jaw more.
Don’t chew large pieces of hard or brittle food.

Eat plenty of vegetables, especially dark green vegetables. They contain Calcium and Magnesium, which help build healthy muscles, ligaments and tendons. Most of us don’t eat enough vegetables and get our minimum requirement of minerals in daily, so this is good advice for the whole family.

Even if you cannot chew well, you can get in your vegetables. Buy a juicer and make a glass of vegetable juice to drink each day. Apple, carrot, celery and some dark leafy green vegetables taste pretty good together.

If you are not used to real vegetable juices, it may taste “strong”. You may find that you need to dilute your vegetable juice up to half water. Left over juice can be stored in the fridge, tightly capped and drunk with in 24 hours, and will still do some good. It is however best to consume it each time fresh.

You may want to eat soft foods for a few days. If your TMJ is particularly bad, you could make vegetable soup with a variety of vegetables and a small amount of meat and get by for a few days to rest your jaw, as this will rest your jaw from vigorous chewing.

Can the situation be serious? Yes it can. The temporomandibular joint can become inflamed and swollen. If it gets bad enough it may lock your jaw open or shut. The muscles and ligaments around this joint could lose their elasticity and balance with other muscles, leading to your lower jaw pulling in, which will cause a receding jaw.

TMJ Cure: What is the Best Solution?

2010-04-21T18:37:00.000-07:00

Having a TMJ condition is not something to laugh about. It can be both a painful experience and an inconvenient one. It is therefore of the greatest importance to zero in on the best TMJ cure.

Controversy with Cure

There has been a lot of patient frustration over TMJ cure solutions. Some patients may experience a worsening of symptoms or a simple lack of relief. There may be several reasons why a TMJ cure may not work for some individuals. It is possible that the cure is poorly or improperly applied or the wrong TMJ cure is resorted to. In some cases, a TMJ condition may be misdiagnosed. In such a situation, wrong medication and treatment may even result in complications.

Ask Experts

Sometimes a TMJ condition may be misdiagnosed because the doctor you consulted is not an expert in TMJ. There are also some experts in TMJ conditions that only provide cures that are limited to their specific area of expertise. This may not work for some people if the particular cause of the TMJ condition does not fit the TMJ cure.

One way to ensure that you are getting the right TMJ cure is to get a good doctor. It would probably be to your benefit if you got a highly recommended doctor with a good track record. It would also help if you got second and third medical opinions before deciding to stick with just one particular TMJ cure.

Non-Invasive Solutions First

Your personal rule of thumb in your search for a TMJ cure is to go for non-invasive procedures first. It is quite possible that your condition may require extreme medical solutions like surgery and heavy medication. You should however make sure that your condition is really so severe that no other solution but an invasive one will work. One way of determining the severity of your condition is to simply try non-invasive solutions.

When no safe natural solution works, then that is the time when you should consider further medical assistance. It is important to do this because some invasive and drastic procedures may be irreversible and may cause further damage if ineffective.

Possible Non-Invasive Solutions

There are several non-invasive solutions that you could try. As mentioned though, not all of these solutions can be a TMJ cure that will work for you. They are however worth considering if you want to protect yourself from the possible effects of invasive procedures.

Exercise – Gentle massage and jaw exercises might relieve your TMJ condition. There are actually some specific exercises to follow but the basic one simply involves gently and comfortably opening and closing your mouth and moving your jaws from side to side.

Food – A soft diet or avoiding foods that are too hard may also be a TMJ cure. Avoid overusing your jaws by frequently chewing gum.

Manage Stress – It is possible that your TMJ condition may be stress induced. If this is the case, you can try stress reduction classes or simply teach yourself to relax during stressful situations.

5 Ways To Stop Grinding Tooth, & Eliminate TMJ And Tooth Grinding Effectively

2010-04-15T19:25:00.000-07:00

Do you suffer from tooth grinding. Have you been unsuccessful to stop grinding tooth symptoms, that cause you despair?

Have you been told that you grind your teeth while sleeping? You may not know it but your sleeping partner does.

Bruxism is the dental term for tooth grinding. A lot of people grind, clench or tap their teeth together especially while asleep.

Facial and jaw soreness, headache, pain, fractured teeth and abrasion can result from this bad habit.
What causes tooth grinding?

According to dental experts, bruxism is an unconscious way of relieving stress. Studies show that ninety-eight percent of adults clench their teeth together as a reaction to their emotional distress. It has also been found that for some unexplained reasons women are four times more prone to exhibit symptoms of bruxism than men.

Bruxism does not occur entirely as a result of some emotional disturbance, occasionally it may be caused by dental malocclusion.

Malocclusion is a dental term that refers to teeth that do not fit together or are improperly positioned.
In response to this abnormality, the body tries to grind the teeth into proper occlusion.

However, tooth grinding can also cause malocclusion. It is said that we exert 25 to 50 pounds of force when we bite or chew our food.

While grinding or clenching one’s teeth, a person can exert as much as 500 pounds of force.
This is the reason why tooth grinding can cause so much harm to our oral health.

Here are some helpful questions to check, to stop grinding tooth.
If you answer yes to most of these questions then there is a big probability that you suffer from tooth grinding.
1. Is your jaw clenched right now? If so, try to relax it and keep your teeth slightly apart.
2. Do you wake up in the morning feeling soreness or tightness in your neck and jaw muscles?
3. Do you clench your jaw when you feel stressed?
4. Do you often find yourself massaging your face and jaw muscles because they feel tight or sore?
5. Are your teeth sensitive to both hot and cold?
6. Do you ever feel that your teeth are loose?
7. Does your jaw ever ache?

You can still help yourself minimize daytime clenching by trying these techniques:
1. Make a conscious effort to relax your face and jaw. If you suddenly feel that you are becoming tense, try to focus on loosening and stretching your facial muscles.
2. Take a walk or breathe deeply. These are some of the stress-relieving techniques that can keep you from clenching or grinding your teeth.
3. Caffeine and decongestants are stimulants that can make your muscles tense. Avoid these as much as possible.
4. Enroll yourself in a stress-reduction technique class so that you will be able to manage your stress effectively.
5. Before going to bed, try taking a hot bath or listen to soothing music so that you will be able to relax. Drinking a glass of warm milk will also be helpful.

Tooth Grinding may not be relieved through self care alone especially if you are a night-time grinder. Professional help is advised especially if your bruxism is related to anxiety, work stress or emotional upset. A dental night guard made especially for you by your dentist will be helpful in protecting the surfaces of your teeth from abrasion caused by the effects of grinding.

Sleep Bruxism Information, Symptoms and Causes

2010-04-06T19:51:00.000-07:00

Sleep bruxism is also known as nocturnal tooth grinding. Sleep Bruxism is a sterotyped movement disorder characterized by grinding or clenching of the teeth during sleep. This will cause the damage of the teeth. For many people, bruxism is an unconscious habit. The disorder has also been identified as nocturnal bruxism, nocturnal tooth-grinding and nocturnal tooth-clenching. The 8% of adults grind their teeth at night. Grinding can be noisy enough at night to bother sleeping partners. Like clenching, grinding can lead to jaw pain and other problems.

Eventually, bruxism can destroy the surrounding bone and gum tissue. In children sleep bruxism may be related to growth and development. It is a condition that affects both kids and adults. Sleep bruxism is a problem that affects 8% to 21% one of the U.S. population. The age for children is around 5 or 6. This usually occurs in the early part of sleep time. Sleep bruxism is believed to be related to changes that occur during sleep cycles in some individuals, and this is an active area of current research. The symptoms can cause temporomandibular joint problems (TMJ). Chewing is a complex neuromuscular activity that is controlled by reflex nerve pathways, with higher control by the brain.

Causes of Sleep Bruxism The causes of sleep bruxism are physical and psychological also.

Dental problems Suppressed anger High levels of alcohol consumption Stress Masticatory muscle discomfort Complications of Huntington’s disease Symptoms of Sleep Bruxism Worn tooth enamel, exposing the inside of your tooth Earache Jaw muscle discomfort Headache Sore gums Disturbed sleep Eating disorders Chronic facial pain Increased tooth sensitivity Treatment for Sleep Bruxism Most cases of bruxism are mild and may never require treatment. Occasional bruxism may not be harmful but when it occurs regularly, it may be associated with moderate to severe dental damage, facial pain, and disturbed sleep. Unfortunately, people with sleep bruxism usually aren’t aware of the habit, so they aren’t diagnosed with the condition until complications occur.

Custom-made by your dentist to fit your teeth, the appliance slips over the upper teeth and protects them from grinding against the lower teeth. While an appliance is a good way to manage bruxism, it is not a cure. Massage the muscles of the neck, shoulders, and face. Search carefully for small, painful nodules called trigger points that can refer pain throughout the head and face. Learn physical therapy stretching exercises to help the restore a normal balance to the action of the muscles and joint on each side of the head. Behavior therapy. Once you discover that you have bruxism, you may be able to change the behavior by practicing proper mouth and jaw position. Concentrate on resting your tongue upward with your teeth apart and your lips closed. This should keep your teeth from grinding and your jaw from clenching. For severe and persistent bruxism, a dentist may prescribe an oral appliance made of soft plastic to protect the teeth.

Prevention for Sleep Bruxism Get plenty of sleep. Try to relax in the hours before bedtime to reduce stress levels. Jaw aligning exercises may be necessary for the prevention of the sleep bruxism. Dental exams are the best way to screen against sleep bruxism. Avoid eating hard foods like nuts, candies, steak. Using caffeine, tobacco, cocaine or amphetamines seems to increase the risk of bruxism. Stress reduction and anxiety management may reduce bruxism in persons prone to the condition.

-- End Your TMJ Right Now! --

Bruxism – Is it a Disease or an Uncontrolled Behavior?

2010-04-01T17:50:00.000-07:00

Bruxism is the medical term for teeth grinding. It can be considered both as a disease and as an uncontrolled behavior. Bruxism is defined as the act of consciously or unconsciously clenching one’s teeth during the day or while sleeping.

People suffering from bruxism are rarely aware of their condition, especially if they tend to grind their teeth at night. Oftentimes, it is their roommates or their sleeping partners that are affected by their condition the most. Teeth clenching during the night may disrupt the patient’s and another person’s sleep, much to their discomfort.

With that said, bruxism is officially classified as a medical and a dental problem. Doctors believe that teeth grinding may be caused by stress suffered during the day carried out throughout the night. It may also be due to the following psychological concerns: frustration, anger, and an aggressive personality. Physically, bruxism may be caused by the abnormal alignment and development of teeth and jaws. Or it can be caused by other diseases and may show up as a side effect of certain drugs and medications.

To treat bruxism, it is important for patients consult both a doctor and a dentist. The dentist is normally the first stop. The dentist would check the extent of the patient’s teeth grinding activities and would evaluate if it were caused by the defects in the structure of the jaws and teeth. If it were, then the dentist would proceed with the proper course of treatment right then and there. Otherwise, the patient would be referred to a medical professional or a psychologist to address the problem.

The cure for bruxism caused by physical defects on the teeth and jaws is surgery. For some patients, the use of night guards is sufficient. Bruxism may give way to total denture damage if not treated right away. And that could mean thousands of dollars in reconstructive dental restoration.

Bruxism caused by stress and other psychological problems are best addressed with behavior correction therapies. Here, the patient is subjected to a series of counseling in order to condition their minds away from the roots of the problem.

If bruxism is caused by medical concerns like an underlying disease, or if it developed as a side effect, a medical practitioner will be tasked to find the cure. A different set of medications with minimal or no side effects may be given to the patient, if it were diagnosed that the bruxism is the side effect of certain drugs. Oral medications that relax the jaws and facial muscles may be prescribed as well.

More than anything else, bruxism is a health concern. It is not advisable for patients to simply ignore it or live with it. Bruxism has to be addressed right on its onset. This is to make sure that complications like severe head pains are prevented.

-- Cure Bruxism and Live Free Again! --

Sleep Bruxism – Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

2010-03-24T17:39:00.000-07:00

If you find yourself waking up with sore jaw muscles or a headache, you may be suffering from bruxism the grinding and clenching of teeth. Bruxism can cause teeth to become painful or loose, and sometimes parts of the teeth are literally ground away. Eventually, bruxism can destroy the surrounding bone and gum tissue. It can also lead to problems involving the jaw joint, such as temporomandibular joint syndrome.

Bruxism is when you clench or grind your teeth. Clenching means you tightly hold your top and bottom teeth together, especially the back teeth. Clenching puts pressure on the muscles, tissues, and other structures around your jaw. This can lead to jaw pain and soreness, headaches, earaches, damaged teeth, and other problems. The symptoms can cause temporomandibular joint problems

Bruxism involves any type of forceful contact between the teeth, whether silent and clenching, or loud and grating. Estimates vary regarding the number of people who suffer from this condition and range from 50-95% of the adult population. Approximately 15% of all children also acquire this condition. Many people are not aware that they have this condition because they grind their teeth at night while asleep, although bruxism can occur during daytime hours as well. Causes of bruxism are unknown, one study links it with such factors as anxiety, stress, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, caffeine, sleep apnea, snoring and excessive daytime sleepiness. Importantly, psychiatric or psychological factors do not play a role in most cases. Use of certain medications, including amphetamines, are also associated with episodes of bruxism. Sleep apnea may also be related to sleep bruxism, and evidence suggests that treating sleep apnea can help alleviate sleep bruxism.

Symptoms & Diagnosis Characteristics of sleep bruxism include clenching or grinding of canines or incisors laterally or grinding of the molars. The friction is also occasionally accompanied with a loud grinding sound. Tooth damage and loss, as well as occlusal disease, can occur over time if the condition is severe. In addition daytime headaches, jaw pain, and atypical facial pain can also be an effect.

Dental problems Suppressed anger High levels of alcohol consumption Stress Masticatory muscle discomfort Complications of Huntington’s disease Symptoms of Sleep Bruxism Worn tooth enamel, exposing the inside of your tooth Earache Jaw muscle discomfort Headache Sore gums Disturbed sleep Eating disorders Chronic facial pain Increased tooth sensitivity Treatment for Sleep Bruxism Most cases of bruxism are mild and may never require treatment. Occasional bruxism may not be harmful but when it occurs regularly, it may be associated with moderate to severe dental damage, facial pain, and disturbed sleep.

Finding ways to relax ” Because everyday stress seems to be a major cause of bruxism, anything that reduces stress can help-listening to music, reading a book, taking a walk or a bath. It may help to seek counseling to learn effective ways for handling stressful situations. Also, applying a warm, wet washcloth to the side of your face can help relax muscles sore from clenching.

Massage the muscles of the neck, shoulders, and face. Search carefully for small, painful nodules called trigger points that can refer pain throughout the head and face. Learn physical therapy stretching exercises to help the restore a normal balance to the action of the muscles and joint on each side of the head. Apply ice or wet heat to sore jaw muscles. Either can have a beneficial effect.

-- Stop Sleep Bruxism and Live Free Today! --

Eliminate Teeth Grinding and TMJ

2010-03-17T19:27:00.000-07:00

There are people who clench or grind teeth while sleeping. If you have this mannerism at night, although you are not aware of it, still it is something that raises concerns to most people especially to your roommate, family or spouse. They could tell you that you are grinding teeth while sleeping and they are too concerned because they are often annoyed by the sound you make in the middle of the night. You have to find a way to eliminate teeth grinding to help yourself and the people around you.

This problem is not given much attention because most people who have this habit of teeth grinding are not aware of it unless someone told them. But aside from the annoying sound you make at night that disturbs people around you, you must be concern too with other effects or health risks that you may suffer in the future. That is why it is important to eliminate teeth grinding to avoid heath issues in the future.

Some of the effects of teeth grinding includes cracks in the teeth or worst tooth loss because of too much clenching and pressure. Headaches and earaches during the day are also common problems associated with teeth grinding. Another problem that may arise is pain in the jaw or jaw joint problem called TMJ or temporomandibular joint problem. You have to find ways to eliminate teeth grinding before it could become chronic leading to other health problems.

To eliminate teeth grinding, you have to understand what causes this involuntary habit while sleeping. Knowing the cause will help you know what you need to do to finally eliminate teeth grinding. Stress is one factor that could lead to clenching of teeth at night. This involuntary mannerism serves as an outlet of your stress while you are sleeping. Psychological or mental problem is also another factor that could trigger it. And lastly, misalignment of teeth could also cause this problem.

To totally eliminate teeth grinding, you have to address what causes it. Try to live a stress-free life or learn how to de-stress and relax. Yoga, exercises and giving yourself sometime away from work can help you manage stress. When it comes to other issues like mental problems and teeth alignment, you need to see your doctor to know the right treatment for these problems.

-- Stop Your TMJ Teeth Grinding Now! --

TMJ Treatment options in New York city

2010-03-06T18:31:00.000-08:00

New York city, a city famous for just about everything and the city definitely keeps up to its name by providing first class TMJ treatment. The city is famous all over the country for using advanced techniques in the treatment of TMJ. A number of people suffer from this disease – temporomandibular joints disorder. However New York offers solutions in the form of various treatments to control and correct the damages done by TMJ.

If you should suffer from any of the symptoms of TMJ, then you should know that the city has many different institutions which are more than capable of handling this for you. Within no time of your treatment, you’ll notice relief from pain, and a definite pathway to recovery.

TMJ disorders are caused due to an imbalance with the jaw movement and the skull. Due to this imbalance, a person can experience various problems, from acute headaches, to stiff necks, back aches, ear aches etc. The causes of this imbalance are varied and could be anything from stress to bad dental bite. A proper diagnosis of TMJ through various medical examinations are done in order for the appropriate treatment to be administered to a patient.

TMJ treatments vary from person to person depending on their individual cases. Some patients may require little treatment, while others may require extensive treatment, and at times even the possibility of surgery. Whatever the case may be, you should know that the city has all the specialists who have the skills, expertise and provisions to administer the right type of treatment to patients. So if you live in New York or the surrounding areas and you think you have any of the TMJ symptoms, do not hesitate to make an appointment with one of the specialists, to get yourself treated. Some of them even have free, no obligation consultations.

-- End Your TMJ Misery Now! --

Bruxism – Treatment for Bruxism

2010-02-20T18:43:00.000-08:00

Bruxism is the term that refers to an incessant grinding and clenching of the teeth, unintentionally, and at inappropriate times. Bruxers (persons with bruxism) are often unaware that they have developed this habit, and often do not know that treatment is available until damage to the mouth and teeth has been done. Damage caused by bruxism often includes the following symptoms. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently.

The cause of bruxism is not completely agreed upon, but daily stress may be the trigger in many people. Some people probably clench and never feel symptoms. Whether or not bruxism causes pain and other problems may be a complicated mix of factors — how much stress you are under, how long and tightly you clench and grind, whether your teeth are misaligned, your posture, ability to relax, diet, sleeping habits, and other factors. Each person is probably different.

Here is not a scale of bruxing that exists, but, we could imagine that there is such a scale. This scale could run from a 1 indicating a very slight habit to a 10+ which would indicate a severe bruxer. A person at level 1 would not show any signs of bruxing at all. On the other hand the people in the higher end on the scale would show one or several signs. The pressure that can be generated across the teeth can range from 100 to 600psi (pounds per square inch) this is an incredible amount of force. The problems outlined below occur as a result of these forces being applied over many years – slowly – and it can be difficult to recognize the cause/effect sequence.

Symptoms of Bruxism

The most obvious bruxism symptom is the unattractive flattening of the upper front teeth. This flattening is common in older people and is very apparent when the patient smiles. Continued grinding causes severe shortening of the teeth and shortening of the patient’s face. Another bruxism symptom shows up as the patient’s face becomes shorter, the lips thin and shorten and the face looks older than the actual age of the patient.

Sleep bruxism often exerts remarkably powerful forces on teeth, gums, and joints. One estimate puts it at three times the forces generated during chewing (Castaneda, 1992, p. 46), while another puts it at ten times–powerful enough to crack a walnut.

For many people, bruxism is an unconscious habit. They may not even realize they’re doing it until someone comments that they make a horrible grinding sound while sleeping. For others, a routine dental checkup is when they discover their teeth are worn or their tooth enamel is fractured.

Treatment for Bruxism

Treatment approaches include biofeedback exercises, massed negative practice, change in sleep positioning, drug therapy, psychotherapy, hypnotherapy, occlusal orthotics, and stress reduction and coping techniques.
While the symptoms of bruxism in adults can be treated, the condition usually cannot be cured. Treatment focuses on relieving acute symptoms and limiting permanent sequelae. Treatment should be provided jointly by the patient’s family physician and dentist.

Some patients brux because of dental problems, such as abnormal alignment of the upper and lower teeth (malocclusion). These patients may require oral surgery or other dental work to correct the problems or may be fitted with a protective mouth guard.

Medications. In general, medications aren’t very effective for treatment of bruxism. In some cases, your doctor may suggest taking a muscle relaxant before bedtime. If you develop bruxism as a side effect of an antidepressant medication, your doctor may change your medication or prescribe another medication to counteract your bruxism. Botulinum toxin (Botox) injections may help some people with severe bruxism that hasn’t responded to other treatments.

Dental treatments – If bruxism is associated with dental problems like teeth misalignment, your dentist may recommend orthodontic treatment to correct misaligned teeth.

-- Stop Suffering From TMJ Now --

TMJ Cure – Stop TMJ Pain for Good

2010-02-10T08:14:00.000-08:00

Millions of people are suffering from TMJ or temporomandibular joint dysfunction and constantly looking for remedies to stop TMJ for good. If you are one of these people suffering from this very complex disorder, you know how painful and annoying this condition is.

Temporomandibular joint disorder commonly known as TMJ is a disorder causing dysfunction in the jaw and its movement. There are different factors contributing to the occurrence of TMJ. It is not only physical factor like accidents and injuries but emotional factors like stress, extreme anger and grief could also trigger this very frustrating disorder.

This very complex condition is accompanied by many disturbing symptoms that can reduce the quality of your life. Some symptoms are uncontrollable jaw or tongue movements, tooth clenching or grinding at night, limited mouth opening, pains in the cheek muscles, difficulty opening the jaw smoothly and evenly. These symptoms are so disturbing and you need to stop TMJ for good.

You need to stop TMJ as early as possible. If this problem becomes chronic, it might lead to more serious problems. You need to find the right treatment before the pains and symptoms become unbearable and may lead to other problems like difficulty swallowing, vertigo, dizziness, headache, tongue pain and other upper body problems including the head, neck and shoulder. It is best to consult the doctor to know the severity of your symptoms.

There are treatments to alleviate and stop TMJ. This disorder can be treated with the right approach and remedies. Here are some remedies:

Common immediate remedy to stop TMJ are over-the-counter pain relievers, muscle relaxant and prescribed anti-inflammatory medicines, but you need to be cautious in taking drugs due to the side effects that could lead to other health problems.

Jaw exercises and therapies are also effective for some people. There are exercises designed to strengthen and relax the jaw and the muscles around it to stop TMJ. Heat and cold therapy is also an option to reduce the pains and muscle tension around the jaw.

Some people find relief through dental treatment. A biteplate maybe recommended by the dentist to align the lower and upper jaw and eliminate other symptoms like clenching teeth at night.

Some sufferers consider surgery which needs a lot of thinking. Before subjecting yourself under the knife, you have to exhaust all options because surgeries are expensive and sometimes there are consequences involved which are often irreversible. Did you know that you can stop TMJ permanently using natural methods? This natural remedy works in targeting the source of the problem and not just the symptoms.

-- Stop Your TMJ Pain Now! --

Bruxism Treatment and Cure – Stop Teeth Grinding At Night

2010-02-04T05:10:00.000-08:00

Teeth grinding is very common and it is referred to as Bruxism. It occurs when you clench or grind your teeth at night or during the day. Grinding involves sliding your teeth back and forth over each other. Doing this continuously can wear down your teeth and cause other problems. Sometimes it can be noisy enough at night to bother other people who may be sleeping near you. Both clenching and grinding can lead to jaw pain and other problems described below.

Bruxism is not considered a dangerous disorder although it can sometimes permanently damage your teeth and cause headaches, jaw paid and ear pain. Grinding your teeth at night can disturb roommates and sleeping partners. Sometimes if the jaw pain is severe it can lead to depression, insomnia and eating disorders. Grinding and clenching your teeth can also worsen existing dental problems.

There are various treatments and remedies for treating teeth grinding or bruxism. The treatments usually focus on reducing pain, modifying clenching behaviors and preventing permanent damage to the teeth. Some of the things that you can do at home to help relieve pain include:

- Relaxing your facial and jaw muscles and making it a habit to do this throughout the day.
- Applying wet heat or ice to sore jaw muscles.
- Drinking plenty of water
- Massaging the muscles of the face, neck and shoulders.
- And working on reducing your daily stress levels through relaxation.

Health professionals also often recommend that you avoid eating hard foods like steak, nuts and candies. If you’re prone to stress and anxiety, managing stress can help reduce your bruxism.

A lot of people grind and clench their teeth subconsciously during the day and at night. However, sleep-related bruxism is often the bigger problem because it is harder to control.

Generally, there is no single cause of bruxism that medical professionals agree upon, but for many people, it may be triggered by continuous stress. There are also people who probably clench and grind but never feel the symptoms. Whether or not bruxism causes pain and other problems depends on many factors. These factors may include how much stress you are under, how tightly and how long you clench and grind, if your teeth are misaligned, your posture, diet, sleeping habits, ability to relax, and other factors. Each person is different but the symptoms and treatment is similar.

-- Don't Suffer From Bruxism Anymore! --

Tips to eliminate TMJ and tooth grinding

2010-01-27T06:59:00.000-08:00

TMJ is a very debilitating and disturbing condition. It’s only natural for a TMJ patient to look for the best ways to eliminate it. You would therefore naturally want to find a way to eliminate TMJ and tooth grinding. It may not however be as simple as going to the dentist. What is a good solution for your TMJ problem?
Grinding and TMJ

Other than it being a bothersome condition, let’s have a look at other reasons why you would want to get rid of the condition. Teeth grinding is one way to make your TMJ pain and discomfort worse. Frequent grinding can put a lot of pressure on your jaws and muscles. This is the main reason why you should eliminate TMJ and tooth grinding together. Aside from preventing TMJ pain, getting rid of your grinding habit can also protect you from getting worn or damaged teeth.

Various causes of teeth grinding call for various ways of eliminating it. Grinding may be caused by stress, a bad bite and bad teeth. Some people also unconsciously grind their teeth while they are asleep at night. You have to know and understand the unique cause of your grinding habit to be able to effectively eliminate TMJ and tooth grinding.

Doctors and Treatments

As mentioned, the particular cause or reason behind your TMJ problem may influence how you can eliminate TMJ and tooth grinding. The kind of treatment however will also depend on the kind of specialist that you approach. If you have an existing dental problem that is the cause of your teeth grinding then you may have to approach a dentist or an orthodontic expert. They may prescribe the following solutions:

- Wearing a special night guard that can help eliminate TMJ and tooth grinding. Sometimes, the guard may have to be worn in the morning too. The use of a guard however should depend on your condition. Some patients have experienced worsening conditions due to guards

- Your specialist may require dental therapy or restoration if your condition is caused by having a bad bite. You may also be fitted with special devices such as bridges and crowns

Other Methods

In cases where your condition is not caused by dental problems, your specialist may prescribe another form of treatment to help eliminate TMJ and tooth grinding. The following are some examples of possible treatments:

- Stress management techniques can help eliminate TMJ and tooth grinding in people who have a TMJ condition because of stress. Stress management however encompasses a variety of techniques and methods. The ones that you choose to adopt will depend on your comfort level. You can choose to practice yoga and meditation or you can opt to undergo group or one on one counseling. Other related techniques include progressive relaxation, NLP and biofeedback.

- Some habits may aggravate the condition. Sometimes the best way to eliminate mild conditions of TMJ is to simply allow your jaws to rest and watch the habits that may aggravate TMJ. You could for example avoid eating hard foods.

- Your TMJ condition may also be alleviated by gentle jaw exercises and massage.

-- Cure Your TMJ Right Now! --

Options For Home Treatment For Tmj

2010-01-21T06:56:00.000-08:00

Individuals with TMJ disorder can suffer more than just minor discomfort. A TMJ can become so painful that it can even hamper your day to day activities. When this happens, it becomes tempting to immediately think about aggressive solutions like surgery. Generally though, every other solution should be attempted first before considering invasive treatment. You might want to first consider some home treatment TMJ solutions.

- The most straightforward solution is to simply rest your jaw. This could mean properly scheduling your eating and speaking time. Do not even chew gum when you are resting.

- Avoid eating and working at the same time. This can lead to tense jaw clenching.

- You can try taking non prescription anti inflammatory medicine and pain relievers if the pain becomes unbearable. It is important however to take even over the counter medicines only as indicated or in the right amounts. Resist the urge to over medicate.

- Applying hot or cold compress can help ease the pain and discomfort of a TMJ disorder. TMJ conditions differ from one person to another and some people may be comfortable only with one or the other kind of compress. Be sensitive on what works for you.

- Since bad posture is one possible cause for worse TMJ pain, make sure that your posture is always correct when sitting and standing.

- To prevent a developing condition from getting worse, switch to soft and easy to bite foods for a few days. A good home treatment TMJ solution is to keep away from candies, bagels, steak and other crunchy or hard foods. You might also want to stay away from foods that require you to open your jaws widely like large decked or rolled sandwiches.

- Consciously avoid clenching your teeth in tense situations. Remind yourself not to clench or grind. If tense or stressful situations increase clenching, then keep away as much as possible from these tense situations. If you cannot entirely keep away, then at least set aside a few hours a day to calm yourself and your jaws.

- Wear mouthguard or splint when slipping. This is to prevent teeth from grinding. Some people however unfortunately do experience worse symptoms with mouth guards.

- Learn how to cope with stress to avoid worsening your TMJ symptom. One great way is to learn and practice relaxation techniques that can be used while seated in an office. Some good and easy techniques are deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation. At home, you can also perform yoga, meditation or listen to relaxing music and sounds.

- If possible, limit the use of your jaw to important talk and eating only. Avoid using it to hold the phone. You should also avoid using your mouth to hold objects while your hands are busy.

- Inquire about jaw massage and exercise techniques from your doctor.

Of course, even the most common home treatment TMJ may not work for others especially those suffering from severe cases. Be sure to consult with your doctor first before seriously following a home remedy.

-- Stop Suffering From TMJ Today! --

Bruxism Causes and Cures

2010-01-12T18:40:00.000-08:00

Bruxism is a sleep disorder that causes sufferers to grind their teeth while asleep. It affects over 20 million people and if left untreated can wear down your teeth and cause headaches, and ear ache. Bruxism can also lead to jaw pain and if you have any existing dental health problems it could make them much worse.

Over the long term bruxism can eventually wear away the enamel on your teeth causing sensitivity to hot and cold foods. Eating ice cream or drinking hot tea could become very painful.

What causes bruxism? It seems that many people who suffer from sleep apnea also suffer from bruxism. Sleep apnea is when someone stops breathing for a very short time during sleep and is associated with loud snoring.

Bruxism can be caused by stress, making your jaw muscles stiff and tense. You could try relaxation exercises to ease your tension and try and resolve the issues that are making you stressed. Regular daily exercise can help to ease stress as it releases endorphins which are natural painkillers that also produce feelings of happiness and wellbeing.

Smoking and drinking to much alcohol or caffeine can also aggravate the condition as they are all stimulants. Try cutting back on coffee especially a few hours before you go to bed. You could try drinking decaffeinated coffee instead. Bruxism can be a side effect of prescription drugs such as anti depressants.

Dental malocclusion is when the teeth are not properly aligned and don’t fit together. This condition may result in bruxism with a subconscious reaction to the abnormality by grinding the teeth into correct alignment. Regular check ups at your dentist should reveal any underlying dental problems and prompt treatment will save a lot of problems in the future.

If your dentist suspects that you suffer from bruxism he will probably recommend a mouth guard for you to wear at night preventing you from grinding your teeth in your sleep.

-- Cure Your Bruxism and Stop Suffering Today! --

Coping With Sleep Bruxism

2010-01-01T19:56:00.000-08:00

About eight to 10 percent of the adult population have a secret malady called sleep bruxism, a sleep disorder characterized by the grinding or clenching of teeth. Some people do it unconsciously even when they are awake. Stress usually has something to do with it, but the origins of the disorder are quite varied. The effects of bruxism are seldom anywhere near as bad as during sleep when the bodys protective mechanisms are turned off. Without proper treatment, the condition may cause serious damage to the teeth and surrounding tissue, as well as trigger headaches and jaw pain.

Under normal circumstances, a person’s teeth make contact for about 20 minutes a day with only 20 to 40 pounds of pressure to be able to chew. During sleep bruxism, however, the upper and lower teeth come into direct contact in as much as 40 minutes per hour, and with a force of about 250 pounds on the first molar.
Sleep bruxism is not a disease, but it is the third most common sleep disorder after sleep talking and snoring. This condition is more prevalent in children, who often outgrow it, and causes behind adult cases are very different from those of the younger age bracket.

In the 1960s, Dr. Gilles Lavigne, a Professor of Dentistry and Medicine at the University of Montreal, and President of the Canadian Sleep Society explained that bruxism was thought to be the body’s response to malocclusion — a problem that arises when the upper and lower teeth don’t fit together. Due to lack of clinical evidence, the theory was not accepted in the medical and dental community.

Later on, stress was cited to be the cause of the sleep disorder proponents of this theory failed to explain why not everyone with sleep bruxism was stressed and not everyone with stress ground their teeth. Some recent research studies also reveal the connection of sleep bruxism to neurochemicals like dopamine, but its significance is still being questioned. Dr. Lavigne latest studies have identified a pattern of activation in the autonomic nervous system that correlates strongly with sleep bruxism. He emphasized that sleep bruxism is not an indicator of neurological disease. No matter what science eventually discovers as the cause of sleep bruxism, current medical literature point out to stress, smoking, alcohol, caffeine as the main triggers of the disorder.

Relaxation techniques like yoga, meditation, or even acupuncture may help promote overall heath and wellness. Doctors, however, say that these alternative healing methods will not cure or relieve sleep bruxism.
For treatment, anti-anxiety medications and other pharmacological treatments may be prescribed by doctors to help bring bruxism to a halt. Patients, however, must be aware of that these drugs are potentially habit-forming. It works too well, said Dr. Michael Gelb, a clinical professor at the New York University College of Dentistry. The drug working well also entails the potential of substance abuse if the patient is left to use the drug without doctor supervision.

In the meantime, dentists suggest that patients may use a mouth guard. The mouth guard is a small plastic device that covers some or all of the teeth to protect them against damage, but does not really stop the grinding or clenching itself. The temporary relief can be quite expensive, as the device is customized to fit the user. But a more affordable version can be bought at over-the-counter drugstores which are usually better than nothing.

Dr. Charles McNeill, director of the Center for Orofacial Pain at the University of California, San Francisco agrees that mouth guards may protect the teeth but should only be for temporary use as it may also be more likely to induce a chewing response and increase bruxism. They can also cause irreversible damage to the bite, or arrangement of the teeth. Customized mouth guards made by a dentist last longer, fit better and are generally designed to distribute the force of grinding to reduce jaw pain.

-- Solve Your Bruxism And Sleep Well Tonight --

Bruxism And Teeth Grinding – Things You Really Need To Know

2009-12-24T23:14:00.000-08:00

Learning how to stop teeth grinding can be a difficult process for those who have this disorder. For many people, they don’t even know they do it until they visit the dentist and find damaged teeth. Here’s an overview of bruxism and how anxiety and teeth grinding may be having an effect on your life.

Bruxism is simply an abnormal chewing action that is caused by your brain becoming inactive while you are sleeping and allowing the reflex chewing activity to remain active.

Approximately 30 to 40 million people in the U.S. grind their teeth at night. About half don’t even realize it. Bruxism is also one of the biggest factors in losing teeth, as well as the single biggest factor for occlusal disease.

Over the course of time, teeth grinding can create major problems. It wears down the teeth to s stump. It can also lead to jaw problems such as TMJ.

While experts can’t pinpoint an exact cause of bruxism, anxiety and teeth grinding seem to go hand in hand. Stress creates muscle tension and in turn, clenching of the teeth.

Some of the more common remedies for teeth grinding include a mouth guard or bite strip. Your dentist would fit your mouth for the device which you would wear on the inside of your mouth during sleep. These bruxism treatment devices have shown to work well in some patients.

Other remedies for teeth grinding include changes in your diet, such as cutting down on caffeine, getting regular exercise which can reduce anxiety and teeth grinding, as well as certain jaw exercises and tips.
Bruxism is a serious condition if left without treatment. The good news is that there are remedies for teeth grinding available to everyone.

-- Solve Your TMJ Problem Now --

Home Remedies For Bruxism

2009-12-12T18:30:00.000-08:00

Bruxism or teeth grinding is one of most damaging forms of dental disorders. This condition is usually difficult to detect in the early stages as the patient is completely oblivious of this habit. It leads to clenching and grinding of the teeth along with extreme jaw movements. You can suffer facial pain due to the clenching – clamping the top and bottom teeth together. This stressful act puts pressure on the muscles, tissues and the areas around the jaw.

It can lead to serious problems like jaw joint disorders, jaw pain, headaches, earaches, damaged teeth and many others. This continuous form of grinding damages the teeth completely. This condition is very common among children but it is not only restricted to them. It is a very common problem among people with Fibromyalgia Syndrome. The teeth clenching and teeth grinding may lead to Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ).

Home Remedies for Bruxism

Before retiring to bed you can chew on an apple, cauliflower or carrot. This will calm your overactive mouth and prevent grinding.

To relax your jaw muscles use a warm washcloth around the sides of your face. Continue doing this for sometime. This will relax the clenched muscles that cause head pain. Do it before bedtime to benefit more.

Be relaxed and avoid stress by taking warm baths and massages. Massage your neck muscles, shoulders and face to relax peacefully. Stress relieving exercises should help you unwind. Squeeze a tennis ball; it may come in handy to get rid of the stress.

Sleeping on your side or your stomach may increase your chances of bruxism. The best position to sleep is on your back to reduce the stress.

Use contoured pillow if you can’t sleep on your back. Place the contoured pillow under you face and the ordinary pillow between your arms. Sleeping in this position reduces the strain on your jaw and neck and prevents you from rolling over onto your face.

Avoid consumption of alcohol as it inadvertently affects your sleep and increases the movement of your jaw which causes clenching. Cut down on caffeine and carbohydrates like candy and pastries.

Try acupressure, it may help you relax for a good night sleep thus avoiding any incidents of teeth clenching or grinding.

-- Stop Suffering From TMJ Today --

Many Turn to Teeth Grinding for Stress Relief

2009-10-03T22:12:00.000-07:00

Bruxism, or Teeth Grinding, Can Cause Facial Pain, Infection.
Sophie may seem like an otherwise carefree 25-year-old, but one look at her worn-down teeth proves otherwise.
“I grind my teeth at night because of stress,” said Sophie, who asked that her real name not be used to protect her privacy.

And Sophie is not alone — dentists told ABCNews.com that they often see signs of bruxism, or teeth grinding, and treat the cracked teeth and jaw pain from people who clench their teeth too much.
“The past four or five months have been so stressful,” said Sophie, who said her dentist recently pointed out the damage she’s done to her teeth from grinding. “It’s no coincidence that I grind.”
Judy LaRosa, 51, knows how Sophie feels. She says she’s been grinding her teeth for as long as she can remember.

“I wake up in the morning and my mouth is killing me,” said LaRosa. “My teeth ache and my jaw hurts.”
Studies have found that between 5 percent and 12 percent of people suffer from facial pain, known as tempormandibular joint and muscle disorder (TMJD), which is often caused by teeth grinding, according to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.

Dr. Harold Menschel, whose Florida-based dental practice The TMJ & Facial Pain Institute specializes in oral face pain, said that he’s convinced the rising levels of stress have increased the number of cracked teeth he mends.
“People today don’t have cavities anymore, and we have gum disease under control,” said Menschel. “People instead [are] losing their teeth by wearing them down and cracking their teeth.”
“It’s a huge problem,” said Menschel.

Grinding Your Teeth Can Cause Earaches, Headaches and Jaw Pain
The related muscles and joints in the face, said Menschel, are affected by the pressure that grinding teeth produces, often resulting in earaches and jaw pain.
“When you grind your teeth you’re putting force on the system,” said Menschel. “That can result in tooth pain and even headaches because they are all related to the nerve that governs the face.”

At Dr. Kimberly Harms’ private dental practice outside of Minneapolis, some of her baby boomer patients complain of symptoms that have resulted from a lifetime of grinding.
Stress, Harms said, is a “huge factor” of bruxism.
“From experience, when I had two teenage daughters at home I needed a high number of root canals,” said Harms, who added that root canals are necessary when a cracked tooth — in her case caused by grinding — gets infected.

“Stress definitely causes bruxism to be more prominent,” said Harms, who also acts as the American Dental Association’s consumer adviser.
“I just had a patient who came in with a major crack say that she’s been under a lot of stress,” said Harms. “Patients recognize how stress causes them to grind.”
And it’s not just adults who are so stressed out that they ruin their teeth, said Harms. Children too have been known to grind down their baby teeth.

“There is some thought that ear infections and colds can cause kids to grind their teeth,” she said. Children may deal with the pain by taking it out on their teeth.
To Cure Grinding, Dentists Suggest Relaxing

Some patients get a plastic mouth guard made to prevent grinding during the night.
“Night guards do protect the teeth and put the jaw in the good position while the person grinds,” said The TMJ & Facial Pain Institute’s Menschel, who also recommends relaxation therapy and even hypnosis.
Harms said that many dentists who can’t get their patients to stop grinding and clenching will adjust the patients’ bite to decrease the impact on their teeth.

“It’s a very hard habit to break,” said Harms.
Sophie says that her grinding problem has opened her eyes to how stressed she actually is and just how hard it is to stop.

“It’s crazy to think that I’m that stressed,” said Sophie. “I can’t even control it — especially if I’m doing it at night I’m doing damage to myself but I don’t even realize it. It’s frustrating.”
LaRosa says her doctor’s advice was nearly impossible to follow.

“He told me to avoid stress,” she said, laughing.

-- Cure Your TMJ Now --

Teeth Grinding in Children (Bruxism)

2009-09-07T13:18:00.000-07:00

Teeth grinding in children is otherwise known as bruxism and happens when children clench their upper and lower teeth, rubbing them together. Commonly children grind their teeth whilst sleeping and are not aware of what they are doing.

What are the causes of bruxism in children?

It is not known for certain why some children start grinding their teeth and some children don’t. There are many theories to suggest that it could be down to the fact that the sets of top and bottom teeth do not fit together comfortably due to the fact that children’s teeth and jaws grow in phases leading to unpleasant sensations in the area. The natural response of the child is to grind their teeth to soothe themselves which often later develops into a habit. It has also been shown that both children and adults grind their teeth when they feel anxious in some way, or even as a response to facial pain such as an earache or teething. It has also been shown that hyperactive children have developed bruxism.

More recent research has suggested that sleep disturbances may be a cause for bruxism in children as well as causing a number of other problems such as bed-wetting, drooling and sleep-talking. Interruptions in the rapid eye movement (REM) patterns due to dehydration during sleep can be the underlying cause of many of these problems, though your dentist will be able to advise you more on this matter.

What are the effects?

Children do not usually experience ill effects from grinding their teeth. Even when their milk teeth show wear it usually does not cause any pain or damage, yet if this wear gets severe, or if your child has already lost their milk teeth, then it is advisable to seek treatment from your dentist as dental problems such as tooth infections can occur. In most cases of teeth grinding in children they will usually outgrow the problem.

What can be done to help?

Whilst the problems will most likely go away you may want to try some methods to help the child stop grinding their teeth in the meantime. Your dentist would be the best source of advice, and will be able to make sure that there are no problems regarding the alignment of the child’s teeth.

The most common remedy recommendation is usually a mouth guard. Wearing a mouth guard at night will prevent the child from grinding their teeth and night, and has a very high success rate in reducing the habit. However, your child may feel uncomfortable wearing a mouth guard and for this reason it is wise to look into other treatment options. In many cases hypnosis has been shown a successful way to get people of all ages out of the habit of grinding teeth.

In children whose grinding appears to be down to stress or anxiety it is extremely important to discover the underlying cause for these feelings. Try ways to relax your child before they go to sleep, such as a warm bath and a massage of the jaw. These methods will help to ensure that your child has a deep, relaxing and uninterrupted sleep.

The most important thing is that you needn’t be alarmed by a child’s grinding as it is extremely common. If your child already has their adult teeth then it is more of a worry, though there are many options available so seek advice from your dentist.

-- Cure Your Children's Bruxism Now --

Chronic Headaches, Neck Pain? The Cause May Be TMD

2009-08-22T11:09:00.000-07:00

A recent survey shows that people often live with painful symptoms, such as headache, neck pain and popping of their jaw, despite seeking medical attention from physicians, neurologists and chiropractors.

A typical case is Julie Bush, a professional photographer living near Toledo, Ohio. For seven years she had migraines and facial pain, and her jaw popped when she chewed. Some days her headaches were so intense she couldn’t work. Painkillers and ice packs applied to her face did not alleviate her pain. “I was a closed-mouth smiler,” she said, adding that “In my business, smiling confidently couldn’t be more important.”

Eventually, she discussed the symptoms with a neuromuscular dentist. After an initial examination, she was fitted with an orthotic and “My headaches were gone right way.”

“Line up your jaw–it completely makes sense,” Bush said. She was fitted with crowns and veneers so her jaw would remain in the optimal position determined by her neuromuscular dentist. Her jaw no longer pops and she has no facial pain.

“Now I have a bright smile, which I show to everyone,” she said. “It’s amazing.”

Headache A Major Symptom

A national survey of neuromuscular dentists shows that the No. 1 symptom their patients suffer from is headaches at 75 percent, including migraines. This is followed by jaw joint pain at 20 percent. Other common symptoms include neck and shoulder pain and ringing in the ears. Sufferers commonly miss work due to the level of pain.

“Interestingly, less than 5 percent of the dentists in the world are trained in neuromuscular dentistry,” said Dr. Bill Dickerson, president of LVI Global in Las Vegas, Nev. Dentists from all over the world attend LVI to learn neuromuscular dentistry.

How TMD Is Treated

After a thorough examination, including a pain-free electronic analysis of the muscles of the jaw, specially trained neuromuscular dentists perform a workup and show the patient how treatment will change the bite and alleviate pain. The neuromuscular dentist then uses a variety of techniques to relax the jaw and find the optimal position. From there an orthotic, much like a mouth guard used by athletes, is made and used to temporarily maintain the optimal position until patients can be fitted with permanent crowns and veneers.

-- Cure Your TMJ Now --

Jaw pain starts fresh talk

2009-08-11T15:34:00.000-07:00

Norma Pelt has paid a high price for her love of gum. Repetitive chewing triggered powerful headaches, especially at night.

“It’s been very painful,” she said, describing her 15-year condition as a temporomandibular joint and muscle disorder.

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research estimates 10 million Americans have TMJ symptoms, such restricted jaw movement accompanied by a clicking or popping sound.

Women in their reproductive years are now considered nine times more likely to develop TMJ than men - a finding reshaping traditional assumptions about the causes behind these conditions, according to Dr. Christian Stohler, dean of the University of Maryland Dental School in Baltimore.

“Today, we realize this is a highly complex disease involving many genes, hormones and a myriad of complex biologic factors,” he said.

Although a number of existing treatments bring relief for most patients, Stohler says, they do not deal with the underlying disease process

“Most of these cases do resolve on their own, but some people suffer for years,” he said.

-- Cure Your TMJ Now --

Treatment Approaches for Bruxism in Children

2009-07-28T20:31:00.000-07:00

Sleep problems are frequent among healthy school going children seen at general pediatric practice. Sleep related problems were reported in 42.7% children that included nocturnal enuresis (18.4%), sleep talking (14.6%), bruxism (11.6%) nightmares (6.8%), night terrors (2.9%) snoring (5.8%) and sleepwalking (1.9%). Bruxism is a destructive habit. It is defined as the nonproductive diurnal or nocturnal clenching or grinding of the teeth.

Bruxism happens in about 15 percent of youngsters and in as many as 96 percent of grown-ups. The etiology of bruxism is unclear. It has been linked with stress, occlusal disorders, allergies and sleep positioning. In addition, type A personality behavior combined with stress is more predictive of bruxism. Because of its nonspecific pathology, bruxism may be difficult to diagnose.

Beside complaints from sleep partners, clenching-grinding, sleep bruxism, myofacial pain, craniomaxillofacial musculoskeletal pain, temporomandibular disorders, oro-facial pain, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue spectrum disorders are linked. The main clinical signs of bruxism comprise tooth wear, tooth mobility, hypertrophy masticatory muscles, and tender joints. Other symptoms of bruxism are multiple and diverse. They include temporomandibular joint pain and dysfunction, head and neck pain, erosion, abrasion, loss of and damage to supporting structures, headaches, oral infection, tooth sensitivity muscle pain and spasm, disturbance of aesthetics, and interference and oral discomfort.

Treatment for bruxism may be simple or complex, depending on the nature of the disorder. Severe bruxism disorders are difficult to treat and their prognoses also may be questionable. Children with bruxism are generally managed with observation and reassurance. Most of the children’s bruxism habit will disappear naturally as they grow up. Adults may be managed with stress reduction therapy, modification of sleep positioning, drug therapy, biofeedback training, physical therapy and dental evaluation. Correction of the malocclusion with orthodontic procedures, restorative procedures, or occlusal adjustment by selective grinding will not control the bruxism habit.

What about prevention? Researchers have found only a weak correlation between different types of morphologic malocclusion such as Class II and III molar relationship, deep bite, overjet, and dental wear or grinding. Moreover, there is no correlation between periodontal disease and bruxism in children. Because the malocclusions’ status in children does not increase the probability of bruxism, early orthodontic treatment (braces) to prevent bruxism is not scientifically justified.

Bruxism is a destructive habit that may result in severe dental deterioration. Bruxism in childhood may be a persistent trait. The occlusal trauma and tooth wear in childhood bruxism can be succeeded by increased anterior tooth wear 20 years later. If your child has significant tooth attrition, dental mobility or tooth fracture may happen. Therefore, it is mandatory to take your child to your dentist for evaluation of bruxism.

-- Cure Your TMJ Now --

Understanding and fighting TMJ

2009-07-09T02:13:00.000-07:00

A self-described fan of bubblegum, Norma Pelt has paid a high price for her love over the years.

Along with dizzy spells and a constant pain in her jaw, she said, repetitive chewing triggered powerful headaches, especially at night.

“It’s been very painful,” she said, describing her condition, which began 15 years ago, and was only recently diagnosed, during a flare-up, as a temporomandibular joint and muscle disorder.

The umbrella term refers to a group of conditions that cause varying degrees of pain and dysfunction in and around the temporomandibular jaw joint and the muscles that control their movement on each side of the head.

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research estimates about 10 million Americans have symptoms associated with these disorders, with 5 percent to 15 percent, like Pelt, experiencing the most common ones: pain and restricted jaw movement, often accompanied by a clicking or popping sound.

Women in their reproductive years are now considered nine times more likely to develop a TMJ disorder than men — a finding reshaping traditional assumptions about the causes lying behind these conditions, according to Dr. Christian Stohler, dean of the University of Maryland Dental School in Baltimore, Md.

“A lot has changed on the TMJ front in the last 15 years,” he says. “Today, we realize this is a highly complex disease involving many genes, hormones and a myriad of complex biologic factors.”

Although a number of existing treatments bring pain relief for most patients, Stohler says, they do not deal with the underlying disease process, a complex interplay of biologic factors that go beyond a misalignment of teeth or bite problems, once held solely responsible for these disorders.

They include genetic differences in pain perception or how an individual responds to pain, and the frequent presence of other painful conditions, such as fibromyalgia or rheumatoid arthritis, among others, which may mask or modify the symptoms of a TMJ problem.

“Most of these cases do resolve on their own, but some people suffer for years,” Stohler said. “And the more severe the case, the greater the likelihood that TMJ will coexist with other medical problems.”

“It tells me which tooth is hitting which tooth and with what force over time,” says Dorsey.

As part of her therapy, Pelt wears a customized splint at night.

The splint doesn’t just protect the teeth from being worn or cracked, Dorsey said, but it takes the pressure off the closing muscles in the mouth so they can relax and lengthen over time, allowing the joint to sit comfortably in the socket without pain.

“This is a process that takes time,” she says, with patients typically coming in for an hour once a week, possibly for many months. “It’s similar to physical therapy when you sprain your leg.”

As a dentist on the front lines, Dorsey said, she became interested in the jaw-pain disorders when she began developing her own problem, in which her teeth began to shift unexpectedly, leaving open areas of contact in her mouth.

Although she had no pain, she said, she had problems with food lodging in her teeth, which became “very annoying.”

So she decided to learn more about TMJ, studying “occlusion training” at the Dawson Academy in St. Petersburg, Fla., where she also underwent treatment, and a 25-month course at the University of Florida.

“I’ve seen about an 80 percent improvement in my own case, so far,” Dorsey says.

Pelt, too, said the subtle changes in her mouth during the past few months have begun to ease the pain.

“I’m not waking up with headaches any more and the dizziness has gone away,” says Pelt. “Since coming here, I’ve been much better.”

-- Cure Your TMJ Today --

Treatments for TMJ

2009-07-05T13:03:00.000-07:00

In late 2005, the National Institutes of Health launched a seven-year clinical study to identify risk factors that contribute to the development of these jaw and muscle disorders.

During the study, which will track 3,200 healthy volunteers to see how many develop these conditions, scientists hope to get a clearer picture of early disease. That knowledge could lead to new approaches to treatment, refinements in diagnostic criteria and an ability to predict a person’s natural genetic susceptibility to chronic pain disorders or personalized medicine.

Closer to clinical use today are a number of designer drugs “that go to the heart of pain,” says Dr. Harold Menchel, a dentist who runs the TMJ & Facial Pain Institute in Broward County. “There’s a lot of newer biochemical stuff coming out.”

For now, however, in the absence of physician agreement over which treatments work best, and an array of doctors who treat TMJ — from rheumatologists, oral surgeons and dentists to neurologists and ear, nose and throat specialists — Menchel says a conservative, nonsurgical approach is warranted.

“In most cases, TMJ is a self-limiting entity,” he says, meaning they go away with minimal treatment over time. Only the most severe cases, about 5 percent, require surgical bite correction, Menchel said

“We shouldn’t do anything permanent,” Menchel stressed. “You treat the pain discomfort and restore function as best you can and as simply as you can — that’s the gold standard.”

-- Cure Your TMJ Now --

Doctors face variety of factors in treating TMJ

2009-06-30T12:11:00.000-07:00

A self-described fan of bubblegum, Norma Pelt has paid a high price for her love of this kind of “the bubbly” over the years.

Along with dizzy spells and a constant pain in her jaw, she said, repetitive chewing triggered powerful headaches, especially at night.

“It’s been very painful,” she said, describing her condition, which began 15 years ago, and was only recently diagnosed, during a flare-up, as a temporomandibular joint and muscle disorder.

In Pelt’s case, her jaw condition is moderate, according to her dentist, Dr. Michelle Dorsey, a solo practitioner on Merritt Island, Fla., who is centering treatment around a computer-guided sensing device, made by Tekscan. It replaces the old “tap, tap” articulation papers used to measure and assess a patient’s bite and how teeth touch, or occlude.

“It tells me which tooth is hitting which tooth and with what force over time,” says Dorsey — critical information to “occlusal equilibration,” the treatment’s ultimate goal, once the joints have been stabilized and the tissue inflammation quelled.

As part of her therapy, Pelt wears a customized splint at night.

Although she had no pain, she said, she had problems with food lodging in her teeth, which became “very annoying.”

“I’ve seen about an 80 percent improvement in my own case, so far,” Dorsey says.

Pelt, too, said the subtle changes in her mouth during the past few months have begun to ease the pain, although she did not put a percentage on how much.

“I’m not waking up with headaches any more and the dizziness has gone away,” says Pelt, who works in a day care center in Rockledge. “Since coming here, I’ve been much better.”

-- Cure Your TMJ Now --

TMJ difficult to cure

2009-06-25T19:21:00.000-07:00

A self-described fan of bubblegum, Norma Pelt has paid a high price for her love of this kind of “the bubbly” over the years.

Along with dizzy spells and a constant pain in her jaw, she said, repetitive chewing triggered powerful headaches, especially at night.

“It’s been very painful,” she said, describing her condition, which began 15 years ago, and was only recently diagnosed, during a flare-up, as a temporomandibular joint and muscle disorder.

Women in their reproductive years are now considered nine times more likely to develop a TMJ disorder than men - a finding reshaping traditional assumptions about the causes lying behind these conditions, according to Dr. Christian Stohler, dean of the University of Maryland Dental School in Baltimore, Md.

“It tells me which tooth is hitting which tooth and with what force over time,” says Dorsey - critical information to “occlusal equilibration,” the treatment’s ultimate goal, once the joints have been stabilized and the tissue inflammation quelled.

As part of her therapy, Pelt wears a customized splint at night.

As a dentist on the front lines, Dorsey says, she became interested in jaw-pain disorders when she began developing her own problem, in which her teeth began to shift unexpectedly, leaving open areas of contact in her mouth.

Although she had no pain, she said, she had problems with food lodging in her teeth, which became “very annoying.”

“I’ve seen about an 80 percent improvement in my own case, so far,” Dorsey says.

Pelt, too, said the subtle changes in her mouth during the past few months have begun to ease the pain, although she did not put a percentage on how much.

“I’m not waking up with headaches anymore and the dizziness has gone away,” says Pelt, who works in a day-care center in Rockledge. “Since coming here, I’ve been much better.”

-- Cure Your TMJ Today --

Doctors study new ways to treat TMJ

2009-06-23T10:30:00.000-07:00

A self-described fan of bubble gum, Norma Pelt has paid a high price for her love of this kind of “the bubbly” over the years.

Along with dizzy spells and a constant pain in her jaw, she said, repetitive chewing triggered powerful headaches, especially at night.

“It’s been very painful,” she said, describing her condition, which began 15 years ago, and was only recently diagnosed, during a flare-up, as a temporomandibular joint and muscle disorder.

In Pelt’s case, her jaw condition is moderate, according to her dentist, Dr. Michelle Dorsey, a solo practitioner on Merritt Island, who is centering treatment around a computer-guided sensing device, made by Tekscan.

As part of her therapy, Pelt wears a customized splint at night.

TMJ: a slow healing process

2009-06-22T02:33:00.000-07:00

You won’t be totally pain free over night (although it’s amazing how quickly these exercises sometimes work). It will take some time to reverse the tension that has been building up in your muscles for long time (even before you noticed any symptoms).

These exercises rebuild your jaw function little by little.

The muscles around the jaw must first regain their old strength and flexibility. Then the jaw muscle will guide your jaw joints into their natural healthy position. This usually happens slowly and gradually. The fact remains, this is the only method proven effective to heal TMJ. Nothing else helps!

Extremely Effective TMJ Exercises

2009-06-17T02:49:00.000-07:00

1)The jaw exercises are self explained. They strengthen and loosen up the jaw muscles directly, so the muscles will not push the jaw joint out of place but guide them into right position.

2)The tongue exercises, loosen up the tongue muscle. Even healthy people have too much tension in their tongue. People who suffer from TMJ are way off balance there.

3)The throat exercises strengthen the throat. The throat muscles are some of these ‘hidden’ muscles we seldom pay attention to. They’re however extremely important and if they’re stiff, you’ll suffer several symptoms in your throat.

4)The neck and shoulder muscles are directly connected to the Jaw muscles. These muscles are usually the first one to freeze when the jaw muscles get stiff. They can, however, easily be put back into regular function using powerful neck and shoulder exercises.

5)The breathing exercises will nurture and loosen up all the muscles in your head. What’s more, they’ll will also relief any emotional stress built up in your muscles. You’ll be amazed how effective they’re.

These exercises have been practiced successfully by thousands of people suffering from TMJ and it still surprises me how effective they are, considering how many causes lie behind this complex condition.

Cure Your TMJ Now

TMJ Secondary Symptoms

2009-06-15T00:57:00.001-07:00

The misplaced jaw causes unbalance between the left and the right jaw joints. It’s like driving a car having one wheel turn left and the other right. You can imagine the strain this puts on the wheels and the steering. Well, you know the strain it puts on You.

Nerves get squeezed. Either directly by the misplaced jaw or the tense muscles around it. The same nerves lie around the jaw as the ears. The same nerves that control the balance system. That’s why you may experience dizziness or lack or balance for example?

No muscle is an island. They’re all connected, either directly or through the nerve system. If your jaw muscles get stiff, all the other muscles around it will tense up too. You’ve probably experienced your shoulders and neck become more tense, as your TMJ has grown worse. This is only one example.

Less noticeable is the tension in all the small muscles in your head. Including your other face muscles, tongue, throat and even eyes. You may also feel like your throat is narrower now than before (you’re not crazy it’s true).

As this tension builds up little by little, you’ll begin to feel the secondary symptoms of TMJ, including:

Voice fluctuations
Sore throat without infection
Swallowing difficulties
Bloodshot eyes
Tongue pain
Balance problems, “vertigo”, dizziness, or disequilibrium
Feeling of foreign object in throat
Clogged, stuffy, “itchy” ears, feeling of fullness
Watering of the eyes
Plus hundreds of other secondary symptoms…

There is no way to heal your TMJ, unless you loosen up and strengthen all the muscles connected to the jaw and the jaw muscles.

What we do know about TMJ

2009-06-14T05:38:00.000-07:00

What we know for a fact about TMJ is, the jaw joints are always misplaced in some way. It doesn’t necessarily have to be complete misplacement (although sometimes it is). Small wrong misplacement can be enough. And the symptoms can be both nerve racking and painful:

Clicking, popping jaw joints
Grating sounds
Jaw locking opened or closed
Extreme pain in cheek muscles
Uncontrollable jaw or tongue movements
Clenching or grinding at night
Discomfort or pain to any of these areas
Limited opening
Inability to open the jaw smoothly or evenly
Jaw deviates to one side when opening
Inability to “find bite” with teeth
Frequent, migraine type headaches

Another thing we know for a fact is, the jaw muscles are always very tense. It varies how painful they’re or if they’re torn but they’re always too tense. These weak, tense jaw muscles will push your jaw further out of position and make the problem worse.

This is similar to back problems. Most people who suffer from back problems have weak, tense muscles. The back problem may have started by using bad position when working, by minor injury, or something else that didn’t seem very serious at the time.

To avoid the mild pain, the muscles in the back get tense. It jut happens. This is a function nature gave us to deal with pain. The real problem begins when the tension in the back muscles push the spine (even just a little bit) out of place. What should only have been minor problem if the person had exercised and strengthen the back muscles, is now chronic, serious condition.

The same thing happens with TMJ. What might have started out as minor problem (maybe you got hit in the jaw or had short period of intense stress) is now becoming chronic problem, because the jaw muscles now push your jaw out of place.

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Why do TMJ experts fail you?

2009-06-12T07:52:00.000-07:00

TMJ is one of the most complex conditions you’ll ever find. Every TMJ patient has different original causes for his or her condition. And not only one cause or accident. There are probably several contributing factors causing your pain. Both physical and emotional.

Overwhelming feelings like stress, grief, or intense anger are often basic triggers of TMJ. Injuries, like car accidents or sport injuries are another common triggers.

You may not even have noticed at all when your condition began to develop. Maybe you bumped into something but didn’t give it a second thought. Few days later you began to experience pain. Most often, there is no way to know the original trigger.

There is no reliable cure for TMJ

2009-06-11T08:10:00.001-07:00

Your doctor is probably doing all he can. He’s most likely given you strong pain relief pills and maybe some muscle relaxation medicines. But there is not much more he can do. All these medicines fail. Even if they reduce the pain a little for a while in the beginning, they’ll stop working little by little as your body gets immune to them. Your dentists may try his best to help you by making a dental implant. These implants are mostly meant to save your teeth from grinding down. It is not a permanent cure and usually doesn’t relief the pain, although it may be well worth it to save your teeth.

TMJ Natural Treatment Testimonials

2009-06-10T04:36:00.000-07:00

All these people tried our unique, yet simple exercises. Here is what they have to say…

“Thank you very much for responding to me. I have done all the exercises for the past 2 nights and my jaws have not hurt at all when I wake up in the morning. Thank you so much. I will e-mail you from time to time to let you know how I am doing.”
Alie Vanhoy - Dallas, TX

“After the first couple of days I could feel a noticeable change. The clicking, popping, and tension were 90% gone. Each day things continued to improve.”
Mary Stuart - Freehold, NJ

“Just to let you know that my condition is improving each day since I started your program. The pain is diminishing each day and hopefully it will be completely gone in the near future.”
Thomas Young - Orlando, FL

“After reviewing the information about your program and understanding the concept behind it, I realized just how amazing and effective it really is. It totally cured me in less than two weeks. I’d highly recommend your program to anybody who suffers from TMJ.”
Ann Smith - San Diego, CA

“Thank you for your email and I am so glad that I am able to put the exercises on CD. This way I can do the exercises as I drive down the road. Thank you again!”
Vivian Franklin - Detroit, MI

“I wanted to let you know that during the time I was having trouble with my TMJ, I did several of your exercises for my neck and later, when I took a bite of something I noticed my mouth opened easily. I looked in the mirror and my mouth opened all the way!! Your exercises helped my TMJ and I haven’t had any trouble since! Thanks.”
Beverly March - Columbus, OH

“After three days of two exercises each day, I can now open my mouth wider, there is no longer the constant pain, and the pain I have when opening my mouth widely has been reduced by 80%.”
Kyle Gilmore - Boston, MA

“I have suffered with migraine headaches for the past 46 years. There is not a conventional medical treatment that I have not tried at least once. I have not had one migraine since I started the treatment. I wish that I had learned of this procedure years ago.”
Krista Patterson - Chicago, IL

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A Natural Treatment To TMJ

2009-06-09T13:54:00.000-07:00

Our program works because it is directly aimed at loosening up and strengthening your “weaker muscles,” which are causing you pain - instead of cutting them (like in surgery), or pushing them aside (like those incredibly uncomfortable devices they make you wear in your mouth) which, besides being uncomfortable and ineffective, can even be dangerous! We don’t have to mention to you that no surgery is without risk, but in reality, the biggest risk of surgery is undergoing it and not curing a darn thing!

STOP TMJ NOW!

In just 3 minutes a day, it teaches you:

How to strengthen and loosen up the tongue - this is more important than you may think!
The 3 single most powerful exercises to open up a narrow throat
How to quickly find out if you have an airway block in your nose, and 2 exercises to quickly start curing it. (If your sinuses are blocked, this is extremely important).
The single most important thing you must know about a stiff jaw that’s causing your TMJ, and how to loosen it up.
How to break up the tension line between your shoulders and your jaw. Each muscle group multiplies your TMJ, but I’m going to teach you exactly to how deal with them all!
How to use powerful breathing exercise to quickly remove the head pain you’re suffering, even while the jaw is still locked up!

The reason why this works is because it goes right to the source of the problem: tension in the face muscles. Nobody knows exactly why it happens, but TMJ is caused by most of the muscles in the head (including the throat, tongue, jaw and the shoulders) to stiffen up. This causes the pain and dysfunctions in this area.

But strengthening and relaxing the jaw alone won’t cure your TMJ. The worst problem of TMJ is that all the muscles in the head work together to dislocate the jaw joint. Our program finally solves that by working on relaxing and strengthening every muscle in your head, from the inside out. This program first explains your TMJ problem and then gives you a simple, step-by-step program that is aimed specifically at YOUR causes for TMJ.

Here are just a few things you will discover in our program:

The most important and most little known breathing exercise that changes the way you breathe every day which removes tension that tenses your muscles and causes TMJ pain.
An easy way to fake yawning over and over again - that completely opens up the throat and relieves tension in your face.
What you can do with a soda bottle cap and a newspaper - that completely opens up the jaw in just 2 minutes. (This is also used by singing pros – you’ll be amazed at how this feels!)
An unexpected but startling 15 minute exercise that could release mental tension that is cramping up your neck muscles and ends your pain for days every time you use it.
The 3 single most awkward looking (but extremely powerful!) exercises to strengthen the tongue that could cure the majority of TMJ even if you don’t exercise anything else.

These are just the tip of the iceberg and are part of a complete, step-by-step guide to stop your TMJ with a total of 24 exercises you can use. You don’t have to use them all. In fact, you can pick out the exercises that fit YOU the best and you feel work the best for YOU.

We’ve also included the exercises on audio, so you can download them and burn them to a CD and use the exercise program wherever you are. If you easily forget these easy “chores,” this is an amazing way to make sure you get results.

The guide is completely illustrated so the exercises become crystal-clear. It literally takes you by the hand, step-by-step to make sure you do the exercises correctly. And if you do, we promise you could have results the very first day, and cure your TMJ permanently in just 2 to 4 weeks!

STOP TMJ NOW!

Alternative Treatment To TMJ

2009-06-08T12:49:00.000-07:00

We are going to give you a simple exercise that opens up your throat and deals with one of the most common symptoms of TMJ: tense jaw muscles. The exercise you’re going to do shows you immediately how incredibly simple, how incredibly easy, how incredibly effective it is to start loosening up and strengthening these muscles.

Simply close your mouth and act like you are chewing gum. Chew like this for a minute or so at a time. To do the exercise right make sure your molars on both sides move apart a little, and then touch lightly again. Also notice that your lips are supposed to be closed the whole time.

This exercise is pretty easy on your jaw because you are not actually chewing anything, but you might still feel a little bit sore in the beginning. Just take it easy - maybe chew for only a few seconds in the beginning and then increase the time you exercise. You can make an “mmm” sound as you chew. This will open the throat better. Making an “mmm” sound is not necessary, it will just give the exercise extra boost.

You’ve Just Proven One of the 19 Powerful Relief TMJ Pain Techniques in our Program!

Having a stiff tongue, throat, or jaw are the main underlying causes for TMJ head pain. After that, most complaints come from the neck and the shoulders. Together, these are the 5 most common symptoms of TMJ and we’ve developed 24 brief and startling exercises that quickly cure them at the root.

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TMJ Causes

2009-06-08T12:48:00.000-07:00

The cause of some TMJ disorders can be traced to trauma from a severe blow to the jaw, degeneration of the joint, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or other forms of inflammation.

The causes of many cases of TMJ disorders, however, aren’t always clear. Some experts believe that responses to stress or anxiety may be a primary or contributing causal factor.

If you frequently clench your jaw when you’re stressed, irritated or concentrating, the muscles of the TMJ are kept in a contracted position — not unlike the discomfort you would probably feel if you flexed your biceps all day. Similarly, you may respond to tension or anxiety by grinding your teeth (bruxism). You may even clench your jaw or grind your teeth in your sleep without realizing it.

Other habits that overwork the jaw muscles, such as chewing on a pen or chewing gum, may exacerbate the pain of TMJ disorders.

Poor posture of the head, neck and shoulders — such as pushing your head forward or slouching while working at a computer — may put strain on the muscular and skeletal systems that are closely related to the jaw muscles and joints.

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TMJ Symptoms

2009-06-07T12:36:00.000-07:00

Signs and symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorder vary in their presentation and can be very complex. Due to the different anatomic structures involved, it is easy to group the symptoms accordingly into three categories. The anatomic structures affected in TMD are the muscles, the temporomandibular joints, and the teeth.

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Muscles

Disorders of the muscles of the temporomandibular joint are the most common complaints by TMD patients. The two major observations concerning the muscles are pain and dysfunction. In TMD, the muscle pain is described as a “deep pain” and does not seem to be simply from overuse and fatigue. Instead, it is believed that this pain is a result by mechanisms from the central nervous system.

In these cases, muscle pain can sometimes be associated with trigger points in muscle tissue. The trigger points are attributed to deep, constant pain and to causing the pain to be referred to other parts of the body. For example, the trapezius muscle refers pain more commonly to the ear, temple, and angle of the jaw, while the occipital belly of the occipitofrontalis muscle refers pain to behind the eye. Trigger points residing in the shoulder muscles can also cause muscle disorders of the temporomandibular joint.

Trigger points are also involved with associated migraines in TMD, even though migraines themselves are not fully an aspect of TMD. When pain of the temporomandibular joint precedes migraines, then treatment of the TMD may reduce the number of migraines, but TMD treatment is not a “cure” for migraines. Other kinds of headaches can be an expression of the pain produced by trigger points.

The dysfunction involved is usually a restriction on mandibular movement upon opening of the mouth. In some cases, it is possible to continue opening the mouth if done slowly, but the pain may stay present or intensify. Additionally, the dysfunction of the muscles may cause the teeth to occlude with each other incorrectly. This condition is called an acute malocclusion and is the result of TMD, not the cause.

Temporomandibular joints

Disorders of the temporomandibular joints are usually the most noted observation upon examination of TMD patient because most signs are readily detected by the clinician, not necessarily the patient. The two major observations concerning the joints are pain and dysfunction. In a healthy joint, the surfaces in contact with one another do not have any receptors to transmit the feeling of pain.

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The pain therefore must originate from one of the surrounding soft tissues: the discal ligaments, the capsular ligaments, and the retrodiscal tissue. When receptors from one of these areas are triggered, the pain causes a reflex to limit the mandible’s movement. Furthermore, inflammation of the joints can cause constant pain, even without movement of the jaw.

Due to close proximity of the ear to the temporomandibular joint, TMJ pain can be expressed as ear pain. The pain may be referred in around half of all patients and experienced as otalgia (earache). Conversely, TMD is an important possible cause of secondary otalgia.

Treatment of TMD may then significantly reduce symptoms of otalgia and tinnitus, as well as atypical facial pain. Despite some of these findings, there are some researchers who question whether TMD therapy can reduce symptoms in the ear, and currently a debate is ongoing to settle the controversy.

The dysfunction involved is most often in regards to the relationship between the condyle of the mandible and the disc. The sounds produced by this dysfunction is usually described as a “click” or a “pop” when a single sound is heard. When there are multiple, rough sounds, it is described as “crepitation” or “crepitus”.

Teeth

Disorders of the teeth can also be present in TMD patients. Tooth mobility can be caused by destruction of the supporting bone and by heavy forces being placed on teeth. Movement of the teeth affects how they contact one another when the mouth closes, and the overall relationship between the teeth, muscles, and joints can be altered. The heavy forces on the teeth have been associated with the presence of mandibular tori in TMD patients.

Pulpitis, inflammation of the dental pulp, is another symptom that may result. It is usually caused by heavy forces on the teeth and can cause pain. Lastly, tooth wear is the most common sign associated with a dysfunction of the teeth, but it is not strongly associated with TMD symptoms. Tooth wear can be a result of bruxism or by interfering with the movement of the mandible during function, referred to as the “functional envelope of motion.” Depending on the cause, the treatment for tooth wear differs.

What is the TMJ?

2009-06-07T12:35:00.000-07:00

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a diarthrodial joint that connects the mandible (lower jaw) to the temporal bone at the side of a skull. As a modified hinge joint, not only does the TMJ enable the jaw to open and close, it also enables the jaw to move forward and backward, as well as laterally.

This is a ginglymo-arthrodial joint; the parts entering into its formation on either side are: the anterior part of the mandibular fossa of the temporal bone and the articular tubercle above; and the condyle of the mandible below.

Classification of disorders involving the temporomandibular joint involve six categories:

Disorders can be described as functional disturbances, which is also called temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD), myofacial pain dysfunction syndrome (MPDS), TMJ pain dysfunction syndrome, or mandibular dysfunction. This disorder is marked by an acute or chronic inflammation of the temporomandibular joint.
Disorders of the temporomandibular joint can manifest as organic disease entities. These include osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and infectious arthritis.
There can be ankylosis (”fusion”) of various structures of the joint. Subcategories of ankylosis include fibrous and bony ankylosis.
Trauma to the temporomandibular joint can result in fractures or non-fractures.
Disorders can result from the condylar head of the mandible being trapped anterior to its correct location and thus are referred to as dislocations. A dislocation may be chronic or acute.
Disorders of the temporomandibular joint may include tumors, though this occurs very rarely. Tumors may express in the form of osteomas, ostochondromas, soft tissue invasions, or metastasis from a different tumor in the body.

--- Stop TMJ Now ---

A Natural Method To Permanently Eliminate TMJ

2009-06-06T11:32:00.000-07:00

If you’re at the end of your wits with your jaw (and head) pain, then discover how this foolproof system relaxes your face muscles with simple yet very powerful, step-by-step 3 minute exercises… permanently curing your TMJ as soon as today!

The reason why this works is because it goes right to the source of the problem: tension in the face muscles.

You see, nobody know exactly why it happens, but TMJ is caused by most of the muscles in the head (including the throat, tongue, jaw and the shoulders) to stiffen up. This causes the pain and dysfunctions in this area.

--- Find out more about TMJ Solution ---

But strengthening and relaxing the jaw alone won’t cure your TMJ. You see, the worst problem of TMJ is that all the muscles in the head work together to dislocate the jaw joint.

This program finally solves that by working on relaxing and strengthening every muscle in your head, from the inside out.

In just 3 minutes a day, it teaches you:

How to strengthen and loosen up the tongue…this is more important than you may think!
The 3 single most powerful exercises to open up a narrow throat
How to quickly find out if you have an airway block in your nose, and 2 exercises to quickly start curing it. (If your sinuses are blocked, this is extremely important).
The single most important thing you must know about a stiff jaw that’s causing your TMJ, and how to loosen it up.
How to break up the tension line between your shoulders and your jaw. Each muscle group multiplies your TMJ, but I’m going to teach you exactly to how deal with them all!
How to use powerful breathing exercise to quickly remove the head pain you’re suffering…even while the jaw is still locked up!

Find out more about TMJ Solution.

Are TMJ Symptoms Reversible Without TMJ Surgery?

2009-06-06T11:29:00.000-07:00

Do you think you have TMJ and are looking for a dentist or therapist to help with TMJ relief?

First let’s discuss some of the symptoms so that you are clear about what to watch for and take care of -

TMJ Symptoms:

Your jaw hurts especially when talking, yawning or chewing

You can’t open your mouth wide. It may get so bad you can’t open more than two inches.

You also feel pain in your neck, shoulders or ears. Teeth Grinding Jaw Clicking

Does that sound like you?

It is the muscles that control your jaws that are the problem. One set of muscles pulls in one direction to open your mouth and another set of muscle pull in another way to close your mouth. If your muscles are stressed in certain ways, tired or overworked, they won’t open or close your jaw properly.

So what to do about it? You could see someone such as a dentist or a physical therapist and they can assist you. Or read on and I will give you another suggestion.

Some things that may be suggested:

A dentist may tell you that you need a mouthguard to realign your jaw.

You may be told to consciously relax your shoulders, face and jaw muscles to ease TMJ symptoms.

Sleep on your back or side, as sleeping face down pushes your face to the side, causing pressure on the jaw.

Surgery may be suggested. Be sure to try looking at other means to correct your problem first.

Some diet tips:

Eliminate Caffeine, or seriously cut back on it. Those who drink caffeine tend to clench their jaw more.

Don’t chew large pieces of hard or brittle food.

Eat plenty of vegetables, especially dark green vegetables. They contain Calcium and Magnesium, which help with healthy muscles, ligaments and tendons.

You may want to eat soft foods for a few days. If you TMJ is particularly bad, you could make vegetable soup with a variety of vegetables and a small amount of meat and get by for a few days to rest your jaw, as this will rest your jaw from vigorous chewing.

Can the situation be serious? Yes it can. The temporomandibular joint can become inflamed and swollen. If it gets bad enough it may lock your jaw open or shut. The muscles and ligaments around this joint could lose their elasticity and balance with other muscles, leading to your lower jaw pulling in, which will cause a receding jaw.

It is important to take care of your TMJ at the first sign of problems. I was told I would need surgery. Learn how I got rid of my TMJ through physical therapy that I could do myself. You can learn this too.

Find out more about TMJ Solution.