TMJ Treatment Options for Alleviating Your Discomfort

There are several types of TMJ treatments, however, TMJ is not the easiest disorder to diagnose, especially when people are at home and find themselves in pain. When you have typical symptoms that include popping of the jaw or difficulty opening your mouth, you should see a dentist so that we can help you to diagnose TMJ. It can take the experience of a professional to connect your symptoms to TMJ. This is because the disorder can manifest itself in a variety of different ways, including things that would not normally be associated with temporomandibular pain. These symptoms can include random tooth pain, aches in the neck, and even an ongoing headache. People who suffer from reoccurring migraine headaches have also been diagnosed with TMJ, so there really is no single set of diagnosis that can point to a patient having TMJ. 

Similarly, treating TMJ has a variety of different methodologies, requiring a step by step approach. The simplest treatment involves an exercise that causes relief from the symptoms. Some also find relief with gentle message. In our dental office, we find the greatest success in treating TMJ with a removable oral appliance.  We create these appliances out of plastic after an impression has been taken of the mouth.  They look like a full retainer and when worn, prevent the upper and lower teeth from touching.  This eliminates nighttime grinding and clenching, thereby preventing a common trigger for TMJ.  As a result, symptoms are often reduced or eliminated.

If this does not work, we may eventually suggest surgical remedies that may require a hospital stay and take several months to be effective. Given the intensity of these procedures, we always recommend this as the last resort after our non-invasive TMJ treatment has been tried.  There are several types of arthroplasty that is used to repair defects that lead to TMJ. These mostly are focused on the disc which can become damaged or move out of place, leading to the severe pain. 

Surgeries involving joints have become relatively commonplace in America today. Many people choose to have their knees surgically repaired or even have hips replaced when they are no longer able to treat these joints with physical therapy or other means. Similarly, if non-invasive options, for treating your TMJ, haven't worked, we will consider arthroscopic surgery to correct the problem. Using arthroscopic surgery means there will be virtually no scarring from a minimalistic incision. 

The first surgery that may be proposed is a disc repositioning surgery, which moves a slipped disc back to its original position. A slipped disc can cause severe TMJ because when the disc slips it puts a lot of pressure and pinches the nerves that are connected to the temporomandibular joint. This brief surgical procedure can relieve the pressure by moving the disc off the nerves and take away the symptoms of TMJ. If this does not work then there is a second, more invasive procedure that can be performed.  Still, we always recommend starting with an oral appliance as the non-invasive TMJ treatment option. 

The Historical Perspective on Teeth Whitening

Getting a teeth whitening procedure has become a popular trend but the basic concept has been around for a very long time. Teeth whitening has bludgeoned into an entire industry, thanks in part to the concept of having the perfectly Hollywood smile. A pearly white smile comes with a boost of confidence making it the holy grail of many who seek to achieve a perfect look. The desire to have cleaner, more confident, and certainly whiter teeth is not new, however. From as long as we can remember, historically speaking, mankind has always sought to have better teeth. The first teeth cleaning devices were called chew sticks, based on the fact that they were chewed to remove plaque, and can be traced back to around 3000 BC. Ironically there are people who still swear by these ancient remedies today. 

The Chinese invented the first device designed to actually brush the plaque off of a person’s teeth. These primitive brushes were made from the hair of a Siberian Hog, making them extremely coarse but were not popularly accepting in Europe for a very long time. The Europeans believed in keeping their teeth clean, and white, by the adopted Roman custom of picking teeth.  Today that custom exists in the form of a toothpick. 

History aside, teeth whitening comes with its own set of urban legends and questions that we get from concerned patients who are considering this procedure. We must stress that teeth whitening is among the safest dental procedure you can have done. By and large all dental procedures are relatively straightforward with limited risks. Teeth whitening is one of those procedures that is so safe that many people just take on the task at home with custom whitening trays that we prepare. We recommend that you get your teeth whitened under our careful supervision for a number of reasons, including the fact that we can care for the overall health of your mouth.  While store-bought home solutions do work and are safe, they can also lead to inadvertent irritation due to leaking solution. 

From among the many questions we get, here are our most popular urban myths:

Will teeth whitening erode my enamel?  There is no evidence to suggest that teeth whitening, in any form, damages your gums. Ancient people stood more of a chance of damaging their enamel with chew sticks than you can with whitening. The Journal of American Dentistry put out a comprehensive study recently that showed that there is no danger of enamel damage when you whiten your teeth, giving further credence to the safety of these procedures. 

Can teeth whitening hurt? Teeth whitening may cause a level of sensitivity. This sensitivity is because we are putting whitening chemicals so close to the sensitive gum tissue. However, this will not last for more than twenty-four hours and will never devolve into pain. When people perform teeth whitening at home, they may be using trays that are not custom fitted to their teeth and stand a larger chance of exposing the gums to the chemicals, thereby increasing their sensitivity. This is one reason we recommend that you come to us and get all your teeth whitening needs met. 

Learn How an Invisalign® Dentist Can Help Your and Your Teen

As an Invisalign® dentist, we understand that Invisalign® offers a degree of flexibility and comfort that traditional braces cannot. It is this flexibility that has prompted many working adults to decide to get their misaligned teeth fixed. When we speak of flexibility, it is not that the aligners aren't working all day - they are. Rather it is the ability to eat whatever food you want and have the peace of mind that you can take off the aligners whenever you need for brief periods of time. 

Additionally there are not as many follow ups, and there is no need to adjust or turn the aligners at home. All of these factors, combined with the fact that Invisalign® is completely invisible is making it a best-selling solution for people everywhere. Being able to fix your teeth without advertising it, by way of a mouth full of metal, is extremely important to many adults and also too many teenagers. As such, we offer this solution for our patients.

As an Invisalign® dentist, we recommend Invisalign® Teen as a product that has been specifically designed for the teenage audience yet works exactly the same way as the adult product and, ironically, on exactly the same principles as those old-school metal braces. When teeth are out of alignment braces or, in this case, aligners, are required to put counter pressure on the teeth. This pressure moves teeth from the position they are in, into a more suitable location. Braces accomplish this using a system of metal posts and rubber bands where Invisalign® uses a series of removable retainers to accomplish exactly the same goal. 

When you stop and consider that teenagers face many of the same challenges as adults, it becomes obvious that clear aligners are often a better solution for them as well. Let’s start with convenience - teenagers have a lot on their plate as it is. With school, some of them working jobs, a packed social schedule, and extracurricular activities - the last thing they need is a device that requires frequent attention, and takes time out of their schedule for dentists visits. Additionally teenagers often eat on the go, and are notorious for liking to eat certain foods that aren't always healthy. Since the aligners are supposed to come out while eating, this provides a level of flexibility that makes it easier for a teen to straighten their teeth.  Those that play sports will also find the aligners to be an easier option since they can remove them and wear a mouth guard instead, versus traditional braces that may be difficult to wear with one. As a bonus, Invisalign®’s aligners are completely invisible which means your teenager will never feel uncomfortable over how they look.

Not all dentists are an Invisalign® dentist, and we recommend that if you are considering straightening your teeth in this way that you see an expert.  The procedure is incredibly effective, but it is important to clearly lay out the goals that you have from the beginning, set clear expectations and understand how exactly the process will work.