The temporomandibular joint acts as the hinge that connects the jawbone to the skull. The joint is flexible, allowing movement of the jaw. This movement is controlled by muscles surrounding the joint.

Common symptoms of TMJ

Problems with any of these elements can cause a range of symptoms and some of them can be easily mistaken for other issues. That’s why it’s so important to consult a qualified dentist with experience in dealing with TMJ if you’re experiencing any of these symptoms.

Headache

The majority of patients who experience TMJ symptoms complain of headaches and Migraine headaches to be specific. Many also experience discomfort in the face. This discomfort can often be increased while eating, talking or generally moving the jaw.

Earache

The temporomandibular joint is just under the ear, so it is common to experience earache. This discomfort often manifests just in front of or below the ear. If the ear is checked and no infection or other cause is found, a check for TMJ is often useful.

Discomfort in muscles

An ache or discomfort in the muscles around the jaw, neck or shoulders can also be a symptom of TMJ. If no other causes of this can be identified and you experience other symptoms described here, it is worth consulting a dentist.

Tinnitus

Tinnitus or ringing in the ear is another symptom of TMJ. While not painful, it can be irritating. This is another symptom that can indicate TMJ if no other cause if found. Occasionally, the ear may feel “full” for no reason. This can also be a symptom of TMJ.

Jaw locking or clicking

Experiencing jaw locking or clicking while you move it can be a symptom of TMJ if accompanied by discomfort. If the clicking is painless, it is likely not TMJ. However, if you’re not sure and you have experience it for a while, it’s worth consulting a dentist with experience in diagnosing the condition.

As you can see, many of the most common symptoms of TMJ can also be similar to other things. That’s one of the reasons why correctly diagnosing TMJ can be so problematic and why it’s so important to consult a dentist with experience diagnosing and treating temporomandibular joint disorder.

If you think you may be suffering from temporomandibular joint disorder and would like a professional diagnosis, contact Aesthetic Family Dentistry today!

We service patients from Denville, Dover, Morristown, Morris Plains, Mountain Lakes, Randolph, Rockaway and all surrounding towns in NJ.

Neuromuscular dentistry is the area of dentistry that concerns itself with your jaw and the musculature that allows you to sleep, chew, smile, speak, sing, kiss or swallow. It addresses the misalignment of the jaw at the Temporomandibular joint and uses a range of treatments to manage it.

Often referred to as Temporomandibular Joint Disorders, TMD or TMJ, problems in this joint can manifest in a variety of ways.

What is TMJ?

Chewing is such an important aspect of your continued well being that our brain automatically corrects the lower jaw position to provide for efficient chewing. This is true even if the correction causes us pain. This process can contribute to TMJ and is what neuromuscular dentistry is designed to address.

TMJ has a number of symptoms which are also indicators of a range of issues. This can make correct diagnosis of TMJ problematic. That’s why you should see a TMJ specialist if you think you may be suffering from the condition. The Doctors at Aesthetic Family Dentistry are experts in the field of TMJ.

Symptoms of TMJ include; facial pain, migraines, jaw pain, back and neck pain, lockjaw, pain chewing, tension headaches, clenching of the jaw and insomnia. There are many more symptoms, but you get the idea. As you can see, all these symptoms could easily be signs of many other health problems.

How We Identify TMJ

We use technology and experience to correctly identify TMJ as the source of many issues. We use:

Sonography to measure vibration in the joint.

Electromyography (EMG) to measure muscle activity around the jaw.

Kinesiography to analyze muscle and jaw movement.

TENS to relieve pain and help adjust muscle position.

We also use observation, experience and every tool we have to correctly identify TMJ. It’s a long, involved process but we’re very good at what we do.

Treatment of TMJ

Neuromuscular dentistry is used in the treatment of TMJ. Once correctly diagnosed, we use a variety of methods to treat the cause and symptoms of the condition.

Our first task is to reduce pain. We usually achieve this by adjusting your bite with a type of aligner called an orthotic that slightly adjusts the position of your jaw to move it into a more natural and comfortable position. We use Electromyography to identify the best position of the jaw and make a orthotic to fit your mouth perfectly.

Bite adjustment is often enough to address TMJ and using the orthotic can be treatment enough. It may be that you need only wear the orthotic for a few weeks to “train” your body to shift your bite. Sometimes, you may need to wear it long term or permanently. This depends entirely on your musculature and how serious the TMJ is.

Occasionally, further dental procedures such as veneers or orthodontic treatment may be necessary. As neuromuscular dentistry experts, we can identify and discuss these options with you if they become necessary.

Aesthetic Family Dentistry will also provide a range of holistic treatments to complement the medical ones. Those treatments can include the use of chiropractors, physical therapists, neuromuscular massage therapists and acupuncturists. These have proven themselves exceptionally effective at treating discomfort as a result of TMJ.

Aesthetic Family Dentistry has extensive experience in neuromuscular dentistry and the treatment of TMJ. Our success rate is high and our customer satisfaction is exceptional.

If you’re concerned about the condition and think you may have it, contact Aesthetic Family Dentistry for a consultation.

TMJ or Temporomandibular joint disorder is a common problem that is caused by a misalignment of the mandible, or jaw bone to the skull. It can cause pain or limited movement within the jaw and have quite an impact on your life.

For such a simple issue, the diagnosis and treatment of it can be tricky. The main challenge for the treatment of TMJ is that the symptoms can also be caused by a number of other issues, so takes time and dedication to diagnose properly.

Symptoms can include; headaches, jaw pain, limited movement within the jaw, stiff jaw, earache, clicking noises when eating or talking and grinding of teeth. These are just a few symptoms of TMJ and as you can see, many of them can have any number of causes. It’s only when you’re experiencing a few of them at once that you would think of a dental problem.

That’s why you should consult your dentist if you’re one of the millions of Americans who suffers from TMJ.

There are a few treatment options for TMJ depending on the prognosis. Some minor TMJ disorders pass in a short time without treatment, but the vast majority will need professional dental intervention to cure effectively.

Aesthetic Family Dentistry are TMJ specialists, experienced in diagnosing and treating all kinds of TMJ disorders. We use a variety of treatments, from custom mouth splints to realign the jaw to physical therapy. Much depends on the severity and the cause of your particular brand of TMJ.

We sometimes suggest chiropractors, massage, physical therapy and acupuncture to treat the symptoms of Temporomandibular joint disorder. Each works in isolation and in concert with the others to deliver a very effective pain relief and TMJ treatment.

The treatment of the cause of TMJ can include mouth orthotics, bite adjustment and other orthodontic procedures. As holistic dentists, we tend to do as little intrusive work as possible to deliver an effective treatment. The less we intrude, the less discomfort you experience and less healing you have to do. Owe never resort to surgery to correct TMJ.

If you’re experiencing what you believe to be symptoms of TMJ, make an appointment with your dentist right away. Alternatively, make an appointment with the experts at Aesthetic Family Dentistry. We’re here to help!

Temporomandibular joint disorders, or TMJ are problems that affect the jaw. These problems usually manifest as pain or limited movement but can become debilitating if left untreated.

If you have TMJ or any kind of pain in your jaw, you’re in good company. Around 1 in 10 people get it at some time of their lives, with 1 in 20 needing a dentist to help alleviate the problem.

As holistic dentists, Aesthetic Family Dentistry is well placed to help with TMJ. As the symptoms of TMJ can be very similar to other problems, it’s best to consult an expert before undergoing any self-medication or TMJ treatment. We can offer advice and design a treatment strategy that helps.

So What Are the Symptoms of TMJ?

As mentioned, the symptoms of TMJ can be very similar to other conditions so it’s advisable to get a professional diagnosis as soon as possible.

Symptoms include:

• Pain in the jaw or jaw area
• Reduced movement in the jaw
• Clicks or noises as the jaw moves when talking or chewing
• Teeth grinding
• Headache
• Earache
• Sound sensitivity

Pain and TMJ

Unfortunately, the symptoms of Temporomandibular joint disorders can manifest as pain. This can be local to the jaw, the ear or appear as a headache. Sometimes the headaches can be severe enough to imitate a migraine. While over the counter pain medication can provide temporary relief from these symptoms, only effective treatment of the TMJ itself will cure them.

Clicking or Noises and TMJ

Where the jawbone (mandible) meets the skull, cartilage keeps the bones apart. There is also a cartilage disc inside the joint to add cushioning. When these aren’t working properly, the mandible can hit the skull and make the noises. While in itself this isn’t a problem, it isn’t something we would suggest leaving untreated.

Teeth Grinding and Clenching

Another symptom of TMJ is the grinding and/or clenching of teeth. As you probably also know, grinding can be a symptom of many other things including stress. Again, this isn’t harmful in the short term, but has longer-term ramifications as it can wear down teeth and put more pressure on the jaw.

All of these symptoms can be a sign of Temporomandibular joint disorders or TMJ. They can also be signifiers of other issues, which is why it’s important to seek expert advice. As holistic dentists, we can quickly identify the cause of your jaw problems and prescribe a range of remedies for it. Not all of them require dental procedures.

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, make an appointment with Aesthetic Family Dentistry today. We’ll put you right.

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that results in pauses of breathing during sleep. These pauses can last anywhere from a couple of seconds to a couple of minutes and can occur several times an hour. At the least, it’s an annoyance that results in poor sleep or an irritated partner. At its worst, it can result in a heart attack or stroke.

The symptoms of sleep apnea include tiredness, depression, fatigue, short temperedness and grinding of the teeth. Many sufferers don’t even know they have sleep apnea. They just know they are excessively tired during the day or are told that they have a problem by partners.

The symptoms can be caused by many things, so it’s important not to ignore them if you’re suffering from regular poor sleep. As you tend to see your dentist more than your medical practitioner, we are perfectly placed to help.

There are three kinds of sleep apnea, central sleep apnea (CSA), obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and complex sleep apnea, which is a combination of CSA and OSA. We concentrate on obstructive sleep apnea, as dentists can help diagnose and treat the condition readily.

The obstruction in OSA can be the tongue, which can be caused by removal of teeth, the position of the palate and dental arches, among other things. All of the possible obstruction factors can be quickly identified by a properly skilled dentist.

Diagnosis of Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea can be diagnosed in several ways. Your medical practitioner can perform tests and use questioning to ascertain whether you suffer from the condition. Dentists can also detect whether you’re vulnerable to it by examining the mouth.

As holistic dentists, we are well qualified to identify sleep apnea and can help manage the condition. We look for signs of teeth grinding, examine your medical history, check for an enlarged tongue, high blood pressure, enlarged tonsils and a selection of other indicators to assess whether you’re suffering from sleep apnea or not.

Checking with a dentist is a great idea if you think you’re suffering from the condition as you generally see your dentist regularly. As long as that dentist is qualified to check for sleep apnea, you’ll be in good hands.

There are a range of treatments available for sufferers of sleep apnea which we will cover in a later post. In the meantime, if you think you have OSA, or are being told you have troubled sleep, make an appointment with Aesthetic Family Dentistry today. We can quickly help identify and diagnose the issue and help with the treatment.