Jaw Pain? It Might Be TMJ...

Do you often awaken with pain in the jaw, neck, head, or shoulders? All of these are symptoms that could be related to pain in your temporomandibular joint, or TMJ. You may hear these symptoms referred to as TMJ. However, TMJ refers to the temporomandibular joint itself. When there’s a problem with this joint, we call it Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, or TMD.

If chronic pain is disrupting your life, Dr. Cerina Fairfax may be able to help with simple, non-invasive TMJ treatment.

What Causes TMJ Disorders?

You can find your temporomandibular joint if you place your fingers in front of your mouth and move your jaw up and down. For various reasons this joint may undergo abnormal stress and start breaking down, resulting in TMD.

How Do You Treat TMJ?

The goal of TMJ treatment is to minimize painful symptoms, improve function and mobility of the jaw, and allow you to go back to enjoying normal daily life. Since one of the problems with TMJ disorder is the stress placed on the joint, we may start by recommending conservative treatments like medication therapy and offering tips to reduce your general stress level. It may also be possible to provide relief by adjusting your dental bite or replacing missing teeth

However, many people don’t realize that they clench and grind their teeth when they sleep, which puts significant stress on the TMJ. These patients can benefit from an oral appliance like an occlusal splint or mouth guard. Both devices prevent your upper and lower jaw from contacting each other while you sleep, which allows the joint to rest.

TMJ Treatment in Fairfax

If you suspect that chronic pain is the result of a problem with your TMJ, please call our Fairfax dental office and ask about our treatment options. We will work with you to find a solution so you can get the relief you need to enjoy life again.