St. Paul TMJ Dentist Describes TMJ and its Symptoms

Written by Drs. Mark and Rachel Malterud on May 20, 2014

Many patients who visit our St. Paul TMJ Dentist office come to us with the very basic question, “What is TMJ?” They may suspect that they have been experiencing of what seems to be TMJ, such as headaches, pain in the jaw and shoulder and neck aches.

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, creating uneven surfaces on your teeth. The most common culprit for these painful symptoms is an unbalanced dental bite that puts abnormal amounts of stress on the jaw joint.

If your TMJ symptoms include a clicking or popping noise in the jaw, this is unfortunately the sound of your jaw joint breaking down. The sound is caused by cartilage in the joint becoming deformed 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, our St. Paul TMJ Dentist can create a custom-made night guard designed to reposition the jaw joint and surrounding muscle into a relaxed position while you sleep. 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, please 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 the dentist to discuss your situation and explain possible options, including a custom night guard. Chronic TMJ pain does not have to take over your life.