It starts out small and easy to forget. That stiffness and discomfort in your jaw? No big deal, right? Unfortunately, that is a warning sign of TMJ disorder. This is when your jaw joints get overworked and never heal properly. Although the symptoms are small at first, they can grow out of hand. You can have trouble opening and closing your jaw, pain whenever you chew, and even recurring migraines.
By calling our Myrtle Beach, SC dental office at 843 916-0990, you can get an appointment for TMJ pain treatment. Dr. Markusen has the right combination of experience and advanced training to help your jaw joints work pain-free once more.
Treating Your Jaw Problems
Normally, your jaw joints can rest every night. This helps them heal naturally. But with TMJ disorder, either the damage is too severe or your jaw does not rest at night. Either way, you end up with jaw pain and stiffness that will just get worse.
What can you do about it? You can visit with Dr. Markusen and see if the NTI Tension Suppression System is right for you. Also called the NTI-tss device, these are made individually to fit your teeth in particular. It protects your teeth from clenching and grinding, common side effects of TMJ problems. But it also helps your jaw relax and reduces the pain from your jaw and any headaches. Using an oral appliance like this can give your jaw joints the time they need to rest and heal.
Prevent TMJ Problems
Of course, the best situation is where you do not need any TMJ treatments! Here are some tips to avoid causing problems with your jaw joints.
- Chew with boths sides of your mouth: If you favor one side, then you put too much pressure on the nearby joint.
- Don’t use your teeth as tools: Too many people hurt their jaw by chewing on pencils, tearing open packages, or holding things with their teeth. Only use them to chew like they’re intended to do.
- Skip chewing hard things like ice: Although teeth are very durable, things like ice and hard candy can hurt your jaw when you chew them. Avoid using your teeth like this to help keep your TMJ healthy.
- Keep your teeth straight and even: When you have crooked teeth, your bite does not close correctly. That can put undue stress on your jaw joints. A discreet orthodontic treatment like Invisalign® can straighten your teeth and help keep your jaw joints healthy.
- Get a dental exam every six months: A trained dentist like Dr. Markusen can often spot jaw problems (and teeth grinding). By getting a regular exam like you should anyway, you can help prevent TMJ problems from getting out of hand.
Prevention is a great idea, but it’s not always possible. You might even have the early stages of TMJ disorder without having any noticeable symptoms! That’s why you need to call DocMark Dentistry in Myrtle Beach, SC today at 843 916-0990 or contact us online and make a new appointment.