If you’ve ever taken a yoga class, your instructor may have reminded the class to “relax your jaw” in order to help students to go deeper into the pose. People tend to hold a tremendous amount of tension in their jaw, and clenching is a frequent response. Unfortunately, this can lead to miserable problems that haunt people for years.
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder (TMD) describes conditions that affect jaw muscles, temporomandibular joints, and nerves associated with chronic facial pain. Problems involving the TMJ are often attributed to a misaligned bite. When upper teeth do not meet properly to lower teeth, the strain on joints and muscles of the jaw, face, head and neck can lead to headaches, jaw pain, and even migraines.
Symptoms of TMJ disorders include frequent headaches or migraines, face or neck pain, painful jaw joints, chipped or worn teeth, night-time grinding or clenching, or a jaw that makes clicking or popping sounds.
Re-establishing proper occlusion for a patient’s teeth is often the first step in allowing associated joints and muscles to work together in a balanced manner. The solution may be as simple as having a custom-made oral appliance that is worn comfortably during sleep.
The first step to relief is a thorough assessment of your current situation. Call (586) 739-2155 to arrange an accurate assessment of your TMJ condition.
