If you wake up each morning with agonizing jaw pain or experience migraines throughout the day, you may suffer from temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder. Many physicians misdiagnose this condition; therefore it’s important to discuss your jaw pain with Dublin, CA dentist Dr. Farhana Rassiwala at your biannual dental checkup. Explain the symptoms you’re experiencing so that Dr. Rassiwala can determine the most appropriate treatment.
There are two facial joints that connect the mandible to the skull; they’re called the temporomandibular joints. These joints are responsible for assisting jaw movement, such as opening and closing the jaw. When the mandibular muscles become tense or fatigued, patients begin to experience extremely painful migraines, frequent headaches, and tooth sensitivity. Dr. Rassiwala provides TMJ treatment through non-surgical methods to relieve jaw pain and reduce migraines.
If you’ve recently experienced any of these symptoms, call 925-833-9500 to discuss your TMJ treatment with Dr. Rassiwala in Dublin, CA.
Common Causes and Symptoms of TMJ
Aside from muscle exhaustion, TMJ disorder is commonly caused by malocclusion (bad bite). When the upper and lower jaws are misaligned, unnecessary tension is put on facial joints. This causes a popping or clicking sound to occur each time you open or close your mouth. TMJ disorder elicits excruciating pain each time you use your mouth to chew, speak, or yawn. Dr. Rassiwala corrects malocclusion to realign the jaws into a more appropriate position to reduce discomfort.
Bruxism (teeth grinding) is another common cause of TMJ disorder. Subconsciously grinding your teeth at night places stress on temporomandibular joints, which results in jaw pain when you awake.
Missing teeth and facial trauma are other factors that lead to TMJ disorder.
Although each patient is unique, TMJ symptoms often include earaches, toothaches, and neck/shoulder stiffness. Most patients seek out TMJ treatment to reduce jaw pain and migraine frequency.
Dublin, CA Non-Surgical TMJ Treatment
Also used to manage obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), Dr. Rassiwala uses oral splint therapy to correct TMJ disorder. Through this non-surgical treatment, she repositions the jaw to relieve jaw tension.
After listening to your symptoms and examining your head, neck, jaw, and teeth, Dr. Rassiwala will take an impression of your mouth. From there, she will create a customized mandibular advancement device (MAD) from acrylic material, which she will instruct you to wear every night. The oral split easily slips over the upper or lower teeth. This device resembles a mouth guard and is fashioned to comfortably fit the unique shape of your mouth.
While you wear this MAD, malocclusion is gently corrected to ease jaw pain. The oral splint separates the upper and lower set of teeth so that tension is relieved throughout the night. Patients report a reduction in jaw pain after wearing their splint throughout the night.
Patients appreciate the discreet appearance of the oral splint, as well as the comfortable fit. Caring for your MAD is easy, simply clean the device once a day with a mild cleaner or denture cleaner. This removes harmful bacteria from the oral splint and promotes a healthy mouth.
Non-surgical TMJ treatment usually relieves most patients’ negative symptoms. However, if oral splint therapy doesn’t prove effective for you, Dr. Rassiwala will refer you to an oral surgeon for alternative TMJ treatment.
For more information about TMJ treatment with oral splint therapy, call 925-833-9500 today to schedule your appointment with Dublin, CA dentist Dr. Rassiwala.