TMJ Treatment in McKinney, TX
The temporomandibular joint is a hinge that connects your jaw to the temporal bones of your skull, which are located in front of each ear. The hinge allows you to move your jaw up and down and side to side so you can chew, talk or yawn. When you begin to experience pain, headaches and possibly clicking in your jaw, you may suffer from TMD. It is not known what causes TMD, but possible causes are injury, clenching/grinding of the teeth, stress or arthritis.
Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction/Disorder (TMD) is associated with common and severe headache pain and/or jaw pain. Headaches are quite common and the pain usually originates from the jaw, the jaw joint and the surrounding face muscles. The headaches can be very painful and may occur in approximately 30% of adults.
The headaches and jaw pain caused by TMD can be debilitating and severe. Our office offers dental treatments that will alleviate the pain and any other additional issues that develop from this disorder. TMD is a correctable disorder and our professional staff will work with you to create an individualized treatment plan to help cure your TMD related headaches and jaw pain.
TMD Consultation
The first step to determining if you suffer from TMD, or if the services that our office offers will benefit your situation, is a TMD consultation. Our Doctors will perform a thorough examination of the temporomandibular joints, as well as other common muscle trigger points that are associated with TMD. This will allow the Doctors to evaluate and determine the best form of treatment that is needed for each patient.
Consultation cost: $50
Services that we offer to help with TMD
Orthodontic treatment
Using orthodontic treatment can help correct an underlying orthopedic problem impacting the jaw and bite, resulting in relief from TMD patients.
Nightguards
If orthodontic treatment is not needed, it may be recommended to look at a custom nightguard to help with TMD symptoms. Many patients find that a custom nightguard for teeth grinding offers significant relief and helps prevent additional damage to their teeth and gums. Our doctors will thoroughly assess your entire occlusal system—including your teeth, gums, and jaw joints—to determine the root cause of your bite issues and suggest the most suitable treatment options.
TMJ Injections
After it is determined what areas are most affected, small amounts of non-surgical treatment are injected directly into the appropriate muscles. Most commonly, the injections are placed in the masseter muscle used for biting, chewing, speaking, and facial movements. These injections temporarily relax the muscles, preventing unconscious or stress-induced teeth grinding and jaw movement.
Bite Equilibration
Bite equilibration is the process of finding the 'baseline' of your bite and measuring how “off” from the base you are. This then leads into a subtle process of polishing/smoothing down your teeth to get you as close to the baseline as possible. After an occlusal adjustment, your teeth should come into contact simultaneously, which then helps to reduce stress on specific areas of your mouth.
Physical Therapy
In some cases, it is recommended to visit a physical therapist to help with stretching or aligning the muscles to reduce TMD symptoms. Your physical therapist can help you figure out if techniques such as improving posture, engaging in relaxation exercises, and performing joint mobilization and stabilization can help alleviate tightness and pain in your jaw.
*Please note that your treatment may include one or more of these services in order to provide the most relief from TMD.*
Contact our office to schedule your TMD consultation appointment with us today!
Office phone: (214) 556-5664
Office text: (214) 817-3050
