Temporomandibular Joint Disorder- Discomfort caused in Joints
What is the TMJ?
TMJ is known as temporomandibular joint. It’s a vital joint formed by the person’s skull and the jaw bone and involves the muscles needed for chewing. A person’s TMJ behaves like a sliding hinge, and connects the jawbone to the skull. TMJ is mainly responsible for closing and opening the mouth, allowing the jaw to move swiftly up and down and side to side, and enables one to talk, chew, and yawn. Many people make mistakes by referring to TMJ pain simply as TMJ. When anyone experiences pain in this area, the dentist may refer to it as a temporomandibular disorder, or TMD.
What Causes TMJ Pain?
The bones of the joint are usually separated by a disc of cartilage to keep the jaw movement smooth. TMJ pain occurs when muscles are disturbed or irritated, the disc is displaced, or if one has arthritis or another joint disease, the smoothness may be disrupted. One of the most common signs of discomfort are clicking, popping, joint tenderness, muscle tenderness or being unable to open the jaw as wide as possible.
There are usually three main categories of the type of pain one can experience in this joint:
- Myofascial pain, or pain in the muscles that control the connecting neck and shoulder muscles and the Jaw,
- Internal derangement of the joint, or a displaced and a dislocated disc.
- A joint disease, like arthritis in the jaw joint
There are various things that can increase the risk of developing TMD, which are stress, jaw injury, or grinding and clenching of teeth.
How Can one handle TMJ Pain?
If one suspects that he/she has TMD, one should immediately consult the dentist. They can assess the condition and proceed with a treatment plan that can help. This treatment plan might involve things such as chiropractic adjustments, relaxation exercises, ice therapy, and eating soft foods for a time.
Intra oral myofascial release, one more technique that has proved to be helpful is practised by some healthcare practitioners, such as chiropractors, as they use to release the muscles surrounding the joint, reaching them from the inner side of a patient’s cheeks.
Oral Hygiene Services at Chaparral Valley Dental
At Chaparral Valley Dental, the check-up involves a thorough examination of the patient’s mouth for any signs of decay or other dental problems, which may involve damaged teeth or fillings, bleeding from gums, etc. This check-up can prevent minor problems from becoming major ones in future. Chaparral Valley dental’s regular examination use both state-of-the-art technology and up-to-date knowledge and skills, all in a virtually pain-free ambience. The dentist will assess the teeth and gums and let one know if they have gum disease and recommend the best treatment for them.
At Chaparral Valley dental, they provide effective, safe and up-to-date dental treatments to help the patient and their family to achieve optimum oral health. General Check-up, X-rays and Fluoride treatment, scale and clean are few treatments provided with any health insurance.
Dental Implants
Dental implants, which are made up of titanium and other materials, are surgically placed in the jawbone so that they operate as a strong foundation for replacement teeth. They are structured to blend in with the surrounding teeth. Whether one should get dental implants or not depend on factors such as the current oral health status and age of the person. At Chaparral Valley dental, the dentists will examine these factors, as well as dental implants cost as they will only suggest the best and most affordable recommendations for the treatment of missing teeth. Cosmetic dentistry is a dream come true for some patients who are insecure about their teeth or have lot of issues about the structure or design of their teeth.
Smile Makeovers
Dentistry is not only about hygiene and health. It also includes aesthetics and appearance. After all, the smile is the first thing people see when they meet anyone, so why should one compromise on it? Here at Chaparral Valley dental, they can transform the patient’s teeth with a variety of dental cosmetic procedures that will show amazing improvements. The dentist at this dental studio can give you the best smile makeover one can desire for.