TMJ And Bruxism Treatment Specialist

What is bruxism?

Bruxism is one of the most common sleep disorders, but the symptoms can appear during the day too. More commonly called teeth grinding, signs of bruxism include clenching your jaw and rubbing your teeth together subconsciously. These actions often result in other symptoms like headaches and worn-down tooth surfaces.

If you experience bruxism while you sleep, you might not know that you have it. The team at Swinney Dental can identify signs of it by viewing the chewing surfaces of your molars during your next oral exam.

They can give you a diagnostic device called BiteStrip® to take home and place in your mouth while you sleep. The device detects jaw movements and muscle clenching to give the team a better idea of the severity of your bruxism.

What is a TMJ disorder?

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder can be the result of long-term bruxism, among many other causes. It happens when the cartilage or disks in the hinges of your jaw wear down. Common symptoms of TMJ (also called TMD) are:

• Jaw pain or tenderness
• Popping sounds when you move your jaw
• Jaw locking into place
• Difficulty moving your jaw to chew or speak
• Headaches
• Earaches

TMJ often goes away by itself or comes and goes intermittently. If home care doesn’t relieve your symptoms, it’s time for a visit to Swinney Dental for nonsurgical relief.

What does TMJ and bruxism treatment entail?

The Swinney Dental team takes a general, nonsurgical approach to treating TMJ and bruxism. By treating bruxism, you can relieve many of the symptoms of TMJ and stop it from getting worse. To treat your bruxism, TMJ, or both, the team could recommend:

Mouthguards

Mouthguards, also called bite guards and snore guards, are designed and created using your bite impressions. This allows them to fit comfortably in your mouth at night without impeding your sleep. Wearing them helps you avoid damaging your teeth if you grind them at night.

NTI-tss™ devices 

NTI-tss devices are designed to discourage clenching your jaw’s temporalis muscle by stopping your back teeth from coming into contact. This helps you to stop grinding your teeth and prevents pain in your temporomandibular joint.

If your teeth are worn down because of grinding, the team can often restore them to their original appearance with crowns, crown lengthening, and other procedures.

If you have concerns about TMJ or bruxism and want to find out if treatment is necessary, call Swinney Dental or book an appointment online today.