At Alta Vista Dental Clinic, our Ottawa dentist can help diagnose and treat jaw pain, ringing in the ears and headaches caused by TMJ Disorder.
What is TMJ Disorder?
The TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint) is a hinge connecting your jaw to your skull's temporal bones. It allows you to move your jaw up and down and side to side so you can speak and chew.
TMJ Disorder (or TMD) happens when issues with your jaw and facial muscles cause symptoms such as headaches, jaw pain and ringing in the ears. If left untreated, it can lead to chronic pain, gum tissue changes and even bone loss and loose teeth.
Most often caused by misalignment of the teeth and/or jaw, other factors that may influence the disorder include skull shape, injury or trauma to the jaw and airway issues.
TMJ Disorder Treatment in Ottawa
At Alta Vista Dental Clinic, our dentist can detect, diagnose, and create a treatment plan for TMJ Disorder.
Treatment may include bio-stimulation sessions to to provide pain relief, alleviate discomfort and resolve symptoms. Your dentist may also recommend wearing a mouth guard while you sleep to prevent grinding and clenching.
Physical therapy, relaxation techniques, or a TENS machine (an electrical stimulus device) - which encourages your jaw and facial muscles to relax - may be other treatment options.
In some cases, orthodontic treatment may be needed to correct underlying misalignment issues.
Our dentist will work with you to develop a treatment plan based on your specific needs.
TMJ Disorder Symptoms
TMJ Disorder can cause many painful systems because your compromised jaw muscles must work extra hard to do their job. Common symptoms include:
- Headaches and migraines
- Teeth grinding (usually during sleep)
- Dizziness
- Ringing in the ears
- Jaw, face and/or neck pain
If you are experiencing any symptoms, contact us for a proper diagnosis from our dentist. Dr. Polonsky can create a custom treatment plan to help you stop grinding your teeth and restore healthy functioning of the jaw.