What is Temporomandibular Joint Disorder?
Some refer to it as TMJ while others call it TMD. Regardless of the acronym used, Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (or Dysfunction) is a complex medical condition involving the joints on either side of your face right below your ears.
These very complex joints connect your lower temporal bone to your skull and are the only joints in the body that move in three different directions: up and down, side to side, and front to back. When the TMJs are functioning optimally, you will speak and chew with ease and with no facial pain. When there is dysfunction in the TMJs, you will suffer any number of painful symptoms from the head to the tips of the fingers.
TMJ Treatment Will Relieve Headaches
TMD is often misdiagnosed or missed completely because TMJ-related headaches (one of the most common TMJ symptoms) are extremely painful, and some of the other symptoms of TMJ resemble a condition known as Trigeminal Neuralgia.
The trigeminal nerves (again, we all have two of them) are the control center for the jaw and brain, and when the trigeminal nerves are overworked, migraines or migraine-like headaches may occur. If you are misdiagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia, your TMJ symptoms will likely get worse. Or, if you are treated for only the pain from your headaches, the TMJ problem will not be addressed. That’s why it’s crucial to find TMJ treatment in Urbandale with Dr. Jessica Lawson of Lawson Dentistry.
Patient Testimonials
TMJ Treatment in Urbandale
If you want to learn more about TMJ symptoms, please read our TMJ symptoms page, but here, we are going to focus on TMJ treatment in Urbandale because Dr. Lawson has spent a good part of her career focusing on how to treat TMJ to help people get their lives back.
Many people with TMJ clench or grind their teeth (medically known as “bruxism). Many people don’t even know they’re doing this unless a partner calls it to their attention. Bruxism can cause extensive damage to your bite and your teeth because your teeth are constantly being overstressed and your temporomandibular joints are always tight and overworked.
Your TMJs control the movement of your jaw, and when distressed, the resulting jaw pain can include chronic jaw aches, headaches, migraines, and many other symptoms.
If you suffer from bruxism and/or TMJ disorder, Dr. Lawson is able to design a nightguard to protect your teeth and jaw joints from damage. In addition, if you clench or grind at night and the muscles in your face hurt the next morning then you also be experiencing sleep disorder breathing, which can mean airway issues.
How Can We Help You?
Types Of TMJ Treatment in Urbandale
Dr. Lawson utilizes other types of TMJ treatment in her Urbandale dental practice including TENS (Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation), which is a non-invasive pain-free TMJ treatment that simply requires you to sit or lie down with pads on your face to tiny pulses of electricity can relax the tightened joints and muscles around your TMJs.
You will likely feel relief within minutes, and you can have several TENS treatments a week. TENS is an affordable, effective, efficient way to provide TMJ treatment to our patients who may not have time for more extensive treatment methods.
Oral appliances have been hugely successful in TMJ treatment in Urbandale. With a custom-made oral appliance that you wear at night, your jaw will be gently placed in its optimal position, which relieves the stress on those joints and prevents you from grinding and clenching your teeth while you sleep.
If you’re looking for a permanent fix for TMJ disorder, Dr. Lawson will recommend moving to a second phase of TMJ treatment. This involves performing dental procedures such as orthodontics, crowns, veneers, or even dental implants, to hold your jaw in the correct position.
With advanced TMJ technology to pinpoint exactly where your problem lies by tracking your jaw’s movements and sounds, Dr. Lawson will know which TMJ treatment will work best for your particular set of symptoms and lifestyle.
Learn More About
TMJ Treatment in Urbandale
Learn More About TMJ Treatment in Urbandale
Please call Lawson Dentistry today at (515) 278-4366 to set up a TMJ treatment appointment. You may also fill out our online contact form, and one of our dental team members will reach out to answer questions or schedule a new patient evaluation.
