Friday, February 13, 2015

(TMD)-How It Impacts Your Health


Temporomandibular Joint Disorder

Dizziness, headaches, jaw pain, earaches, neck, shoulder, and back pain are just a few of the problems you may experience if your teeth are misaligned. You may also struggle to open up your mouth wide, hear a clicking and/or a popping noise when eating or talking.  You may have had these problems for a few days or a few years. Don’t rush off to see a chiropractor or a doctor, however, because they may be unable to help fix the main problem.

The temporomandibular joint holds the lower jaw in place.  If it is not in the right place, the jaw will realign itself in order to adjust and attempt to make it more comfortable. When you do this, it makes the problem worse not better. TMD may be caused by an injury to your jaw, misalignment or arthritis. Extreme stress can cause TMD to flare up due to clenching the jaw when stressed or lifting heavy items.

There are multiple treatment options and, according to Dr. Judy Strutz, “You will want to visit someone who is knowledgeable about different types of occlusion problems. TMD does not go away on its own and it is important to get the right information. It can be difficult to diagnosis and treat.” This is why it is important to visit the dentist. If you have a problem with how your teeth are aligned, the dentist may adjust the teeth or bite to fit better. They may also recommend ibuprofen or another pain reliever to help you relax.

Whatever the treatment is, Dr. Judy Strutz suggests, “Your dentist should do a thorough and complete exam to find the source of your problem.”

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