St. Paul TMJ Dentist Answers Questions about TMJ

Written by Drs. Mark and Rachel Malterud on Dec 30, 2014

Many patients who visit our St. Paul TMJ Dentist office come to us with the very basic question, “What is TMJ?” They may have been experiencing what seem to be symptoms of TMJ such as pain in the face, jaw and head as well as neck aches. TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint Disorder.)

Painful symptoms such as headaches, tooth, and neck pain are a result of excessive pressure on the Temporomandibular joint. This is caused by damage resulting from decay or trauma, causing uneven surfaces on your teeth. This can result in an unbalanced bite that puts abnormal amounts of stress on the TMJ.

If your TMJ symptoms include a clicking or popping noise in the jaw, this is actually the sound of the joint breaking down. The sound is caused by cartilage in the joint becoming permanently malformed from prolonged overuse. You may also experience soreness in facial muscles as a result of continued stress. Another of the common TMJ symptoms is ear congestion or ringing in the ears.

So exactly what does TMJ treatment consist of? If your symptoms are caused by an improper bite, the team at our St. Paul TMJ Dentist can create a custom-made mouth guard is designed to reposition the TMJ and surrounding muscle into a relaxed position. The mouth guard will stop the pain and return the mouth to a stable, comfortable position.

If you believe that the symptoms you are experiencing are related to TMJ, contact our office Teeth grinding, headaches, and neck or jaw pain can be eliminated with the proper TMJ treatment. We will arrange a consultation with our dentist to discuss your situation and explain possible options, including a custom mouth guard. Chronic TMJ pain does not have to take over your life.