TMJ Treatment Annandale
Making Jaw Pain a Thing of the Past
Your jaw consists of temporomandibular joints that connect the jaw to the base of your skull. They allow for fluid oral movement when eating, speaking, yawning, or chewing. However, when these joints become inflamed or damaged, it can lead to chronic pain that radiates throughout the head, jaw, and neck. Dr. Nada and our team at Smilescrafters of Annandale can help alleviate this discomfort with TMJ treatment so that we can make jaw pain a thing of the past. Let us know if you need an appointment to discuss your options for care.
Why Choose Smilescrafters of Annandale for TMJ Treatment?
- Customized Occlusal Splints to Stabilize Your Bite
- Dentist Who Puts Patients’ Needs First
- TENS Machine to Help Relax Your Jaw
Symptoms of TMJ Disorder
Chronic pain throughout your jaw may be the most obvious symptom of TMJ disorder, but there are other clear signs as well, such as:
- Neck and facial pain
- Earaches or ringing in the ears
- A change in how your teeth come together
- Frequent headaches
- Difficulty opening your mouth to chew or bite down
- Lockjaw
- Stiffness of the jaw joints
- Limited jaw mobility
- Clicking and popping of the jaw
Our Options for TMJ Treatment
TMJ can occur for various reasons (i.e., a misaligned bite, facial trauma, stress, bruxism, etc.), which is why an evaluation is required to determine which type of treatment is best. After meeting with Dr. Nada, you can expect she will recommend one of the following:
Equilibration/Occlusal Adjustments
If your upper and lower rows of teeth do not align correctly, you likely have a misaligned bite that is causing your jaw pain. The stress placed on your jaw joints because your teeth do not fit together correctly can create a long-term problem if left untreated. By performing equilibration or an occlusal adjustment, we can alter the enamel of specific teeth so that they come together more fluidly.
Occlusal Splints
Should teeth grinding and clenching be the cause of the added stress placed on your jaw joints, we can have a customized occlusal splint made to be worn on your teeth. This small device not only protects against bruxism and the damage it causes to tooth enamel but also stabilizes your bite and alleviates any unwanted pressure on your jaw joints.
TENS Machine Treatment
Dr. Nada’s use of the TENS machine offers patients a chance to be free of pain because of the nerve stimulation it provides. Blocking the pain signals that normally travel to your brain, the low-voltage electrical currents that are administered during a 30-minute session make it possible for your jaw joints to fully relax so that you can experience freedom from the discomfort TMJ can cause.
Orthotic Treatment
When your jaw is incorrectly positioned, our team may recommend orthotic treatment to treat your TMJ disorder. This requires the use of an orthopedic appliance that is worn 24 hours a day. Over time, your bite will begin to change, and Dr. Nada will adjust the appliance accordingly so that your jaw continues to move until it is in its appropriate place.