TMJ Therapy – Huntsville, OH
Lasting Relief From Head, Neck, & Jaw Pain
If you place your fingers in front of both of your ears and open and close your mouth, you’ll feel a set of hinges moving just beneath the skin. These are the temporomandibular joints (TMJs), which enable you to freely move your jaw in various directions. Like many other joints in the body, the TMJs can become strained, leading to a TMJ disorder (TMD). If you’ve been dealing with chronic jaw pain, headaches, or lockjaw, reach out to Northwest Family Dental of Huntsville and ask about how we can help with TMJ therapy in our Huntsville, OH dental office!
Why Choose Northwest Family Dental of Huntsville for TMJ Therapy?
- Friendly Dentist Who Treats Patients Like Family
- Advanced Technology for Customized, Comfortable Splints
- Same-Day, After-Hours, & Weekend Emergency Appointments
Diagnosis & Treatment
To find the best method of providing lasting relief for head, neck, and jaw pain, Dr. Kevin Grill will first need to perform a thorough examination. Not only will this help him determine whether your symptoms are the result of a TMD, but he can also identify the root cause of the issue. Whether that be chronic teeth grinding, an injury to the face, a misaligned bite, or improperly placed dental restorations, Dr. Grill’s treatment recommendations will be designed to target the specific source of your discomfort.
Equilibration / Occlusal Adjustments
If bite misalignment or poorly fitting restorations are to blame for your TMJ dysfunction, then the ideal solution might be an occlusal adjustment, also known as equilibration. This relatively non-invasive procedure involves carefully reshaping a few specific teeth (or restorations) to ensure that one side of your bite isn’t being placed under more pressure than the other. By evenly distributing your bite force, the stress on your jaw joints will be relieved.
Occlusal Splints
Nightly teeth grinding, also called bruxism, is another common cause of TMD, but an occlusal splint can help greatly. A splint is a customized appliance that fits over your teeth. It functions (and looks) like a night guard to protect your teeth from the harmful forces of clenching and grinding. However, it also gently repositions your jaw as you sleep, which reduces tension in your TMJs and often prevents grinding from occurring at all.