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By Arthur Kezian
Notice that sometimes you would wake up in the morning having pain on your jaw area? Clenching or teeth grinding is not new to many. There are numerous of individuals who have this kind of condition which is quite often a big dilemma for them – these are all TMJ symptoms.
Probably when you pay a visit to your dentist for routine dental check-up, he would point out that you have been clenching or grinding your teeth. Then you would ask your partner when you get home if he/she notices that you produce that cracking or annoying sound whenever you fall asleep. “Bruxism” or “Night Grinding” can damage your teeth up to a very bad extent.
The temporomandibular joint is one of the most complex and most used joints in our body. The TMJ is found just in front of the ears, where the jaw bone or what you call the mandible meets the temporal bone of the skull. The joint usually moves in two ways: usually in a hinge motion, and the other one is in a sliding motion. Both of these allow us to open our mouths wide and for our jaws too make all the various motions like talking, shouting, coughing, chewing and yawning.
Symptoms of having a TMJ disorder are:
- Pain in the facial or jaw muscles
- Localized pain when chewing, talking or yawning
- Swelling along the affected joint
- Pain in the ear, ringing of the ears, or hearing loss
- Grating, clicking, or popping sound when moving the jaws
- Locking of the jaw
- Headache
- Neck or back pain
- Trouble swallowing
Diagnosis
An evaluation of both dental and medical will help you pinpoint the cause of your TMJ disorder and is the primary step for planning a personalized treatment program for you. A complete medical and dental evaluation and history is necessary to provide the necessary information about your overall health. With the answers that you give, the doctor will begin to determine the causes of your disorder. Then you might be asked: Are you under stress at work or at home? Do you clench or grind your teeth?”
A physical exam will help identify your TMJ pain related symptoms. One technique which would determine symptoms of having problems is that the dentist will firmly touch or palpate your muscles and jaw joint, checking for any pain, muscle tension and tenderness. A use of a stethoscope can pick up clicking sounds in the joint area and a ruler which would measure how wide you can open your jaw. Such diagnostic tests would pinpoint even further the possible causes of TMJ disorder. Dental casts may also help determine whether your teeth are coming together correctly and how your bite may be affected by your surrounding muscles and joint.
If you have experienced these symptoms lately, it is best to consult your dentist about it. There are reversible and permanent treatments for this condition. Your Dentist in lost Angeles will be glad to assist you and offer you the best treatment there is.
Dr. Arthur A. Kezian DDS 443 N. Larchmont Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90004 (323) 467-2777