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Posts Tagged ‘TMJ disorder’

Are You Suffering from TMJ Without Realising?

Friday, February 26th, 2016

3534882_blogDo you frequently wake up with a headache or experience pain when you open and close your mouth? Have you noticed that your jaw clicks or pops when you move your mouth? If you’ve answered yes to these questions, you may be suffering from TMJ disorder. TMJ disorder is a group of symptoms that affect the TM (this is the joint that joins your lower jaw to your skull). The TMJ (temporomandibular joint) is an important joint that enables you to move your jaw up and down and from side to side.

What are the symptoms of TMJ disorder?

The main symptoms of TMJ disorder include:

  • pain in and around the joint
  • stiffness and inflammation
  • restricted range of movement
  • clicking and popping noises when you move your mouth
  • neck and shoulder pain
  • headaches

What causes TMJ disorder?

TMJ disorder can be caused by lots of different factors, including injuries and accidents, orthodontic issues, bruxism (tooth grinding) and underlying health conditions that affect the joint, such as arthritis. When you see your dentist with signs of TMJ disorder, they will try to establish the cause so that they can find a suitable treatment option.

In many cases, symptoms of TMJ disorder die down without the need for treatment. However treatment options are available for persistent or recurrent symptoms. Your dentist may be able to help by treating issues with misalignment or bruxism. Bruxism can often be prevented by using a bite guard, which is a dental appliance that sits in the mouth to prevent contact between the upper and lower arches of teeth.

If you would like advice about dealing with TMJ disorder or you have unexplained symptoms that are troubling you, call us now! We can help to ease your aches and pains and ensure you start every morning feeling refreshed and ready for the day ahead.

 

TMJ Is Tough. Speak To A City Leeds Dentist If You Suffer These Symptoms

Sunday, September 21st, 2014

2143132_blogWaking up with headaches and jaw pain is no way to start the day. If you suffer from TMJ disorder, we are here to remedy your problems and soothe your pains.

What is TMJ dysfunction?

TMJ disorder is a term used to describe a group of symptoms, which affects the TMJ, also known as the temporomandibular joint. This joint is a very active and important joint, which connects the lower jaw to the skull; it is involved in lots of important actions, including opening and closing the jaw and chewing food. If you put your fingers just in front of your ear lobes on the side of your face and open your mouth wide, you can feel the TMJ working.

Symptoms of TMJ disorder include popping and clicking noises in the jaw, aches and pains in the joint, stiffness and a lack of movement in the jaw and headaches, ear ache and neck and shoulder pain.

How can a dentist help?

One of the most common causes of TMJ disorder is tooth grinding, also known as bruxism. Grinding the teeth increases pressure and strain on the facial muscles around the jaw and it can also contribute to wear and tear of the teeth. Many people who grind their teeth aren’t aware that they do it because it is a subconscious action and it occurs during the night when you are asleep, but if you regularly wake up with the symptoms listed above, this could be why.

If you grind your teeth, we can provide you with a custom-made bite guard to prevent the teeth from grinding together during the night. The bite guard looks and feels similar to a mouth guard and it is custom-made so that you can sleep without feeling uncomfortable.

In many cases, bruxism is linked to stress and anxiety and we can also provide patients with advice about managing stress.

Tired Of TMJ Trouble? Take A Trip To See How City Leeds Can Help

Monday, September 15th, 2014

3520145_blogDo you suffer from symptoms such as headaches, clicking and popping noises in the jaw and stiffness around your jaw? If you do, you may have temporomandibular joint disorder. This term is used to describe symptoms that affect the TMJ, the joint that connects the skull to the lower jaw.

More about TMJ

TMJ disorder is not a dental condition in itself; the name TMJ disorder relates to a collection of symptoms, which affect the joint. Common symptoms include a restricted range of movement in the joint, pain when you open and close your mouth, yawn or move your jaw from side to side, tension in the muscles around your jaw and headaches. TMJ disorder can also cause pain in and around the ears and pressure in the temples.

There are various causes of TMJ disorder, including bruxism (tooth grinding), conditions that cause deterioration in the joints, such as arthritis and inflammatory conditions. Most cases of TMJ disorder are linked to tooth grinding.

The exact cause of tooth grinding is not known, but many cases are believed to be associated with stress and anxiety. Many people find that they grind their teeth when they are under pressure at work or in their personal life.

What can City Dental Leeds do for me?

Our dentists are trained to care for patients with symptoms linked to TMJ disorder and we are able to provide patients with bite guards, which prevent damage caused by tooth grinding. With custom-made bite guards, patients are able to enjoy a peaceful night’s sleep safe in the knowledge that their teeth cannot clash and clench together. Bite guards are similar to gum shields and they are made for each patient to ensure a comfortable fit; they are simply placed over the teeth at night to prevent bruxism and subsequent symptoms.

Find A Solution To Your Terrible TMJ In Central Leeds

Saturday, July 26th, 2014

2839654_blogTMJ disorder, also known as TMD, is a term used to describe symptoms, which affect the temporomandibular joint; this is one of the busiest joints in the body and it is responsible for very important actions, such as opening and closing the mouth. You can feel the TMJ if you place your fingers on the side of your face just in front of your ear lobes and then open your mouth.

Symptoms of TMJ disorder

TMJ disorder can cause a range of different symptoms, from cracking and popping noises when you move your jaw and restricted movement in the joint, to headaches, ear ache, neck and back pain. Often, it can take a long time to diagnose TMJ disorder because people assume that they have aches and pains related to their sleeping position and don’t tend to seek help from a dentist or GP.

What causes TMJ pain?

There are various possible causes and one common cause is bruxism or tooth grinding. When you grind your teeth, this puts pressure on the muscles around the TMJ and the jaw and this can result in tension and aches and pains when you wake up in the morning. Many cases of bruxism are linked to stress and anxiety.

Other possible causes include orthodontic issues, which affect the alignment of the upper and lower sets of teeth and the jaw.

How we can help

There are various treatments and techniques, which may be beneficial for TMJ disorder. Painkillers are a fast and effective relief for aches and pains and stress management techniques can be really helpful for dealing with day to day stress, which will help to reduce bruxism. We can also provide patients who grind their teeth with a specially designed bite guard to prevent contact between the teeth during the night.

How To Stop Apnoea Attacks In Leeds

Tuesday, July 1st, 2014

2603730_blogWhen it comes to your health, we go above and beyond routine dentistry; we offer cosmetic, restorative and orthodontic treatments, in addition to general dentistry, to enable you to enjoy good oral health and a beautiful smile and we also offer additional services, including treatment for TMJ disorder, bruxism and snoring and sleep apnoea. At City Dental we understand the importance of a good night’s sleep and if you’re regularly interrupted or disturbed by sleep apnoea or you live with somebody who snores, we can help to identify and address the cause to help you enjoy a restful night’s sleep every night.

What is sleep apnoea?

Sleep apnoea is a sleep disorder, which is characterised by periods of interrupted breathing. Sleep apnoea is not the same as snoring and it can potentially be very serious if not managed effectively. When you have sleep apnoea, the muscles in your throat relax to such an extent that the airway becomes blocked and this reduces your ability to breathe normally. The term apnoea is used when the airway is blocked for at least 10 seconds.

Sleep apnoea is most commonly associated with being overweight or obese; however, there are other potential risk factors, including smoking, drinking alcohol, age, gender (males are more likely to suffer from sleep apnoea than females) and taking sedative medication.

How is sleep apnoea treated?    

Treatment usually depends on the severity of the case. In mild cases, making simple changes to your lifestyle may be sufficient to improve symptoms; these may include quitting smoking, cutting down on alcohol consumption and losing weight. We can offer advice about healthy eating and nutrition and cutting down on smoking. In more severe cases, more intensive management is required and breathing apparatus may be recommended; this involves wearing a mask during the night to help you breathe and prevent the airway from becoming blocked.

Grinding And Gnashing Can Cause Dental Damage While You Sleep

Wednesday, June 11th, 2014

863081_blogMany people grind their teeth during the night without even knowing that they are doing it, but if you have a partner who grinds their teeth, you’re probably longing for a peaceful and undisturbed night’s sleep. Teeth grinding, also know as bruxism, is a subconscious action, which can cause damage to the teeth. If you grind your teeth, we can provide treatment to protect your teeth and help you and your partner to enjoy a restful night.

Why do I grind my teeth and what are the implications?

There are different reasons why people grind their teeth, but most commonly, bruxism is linked to stress and anxiety. Other possible causes include orthodontic issues, which mean that the teeth are not aligned properly.

If you grind your teeth, you may damage the enamel and increase the risk of chips. Grinding the teeth can also increase the risk of headaches and migraines, which may be associated with temporomandibular joint disorder. TMJ disorder is a term used to describe pain and other symptoms, which affect the TM joint, the joint, which connects the lower jaw to the skull.

What can be done?

If you grind your teeth and it is affecting your oral health or causing your aches and pains, we may recommend wearing a bite guard. This is an appliance, which is similar to a mouth guard used for sport, which helps to prevent the teeth from clashing and clenching together. The bite guard is custom-made to ensure a comfortable fit. If you think that stress may be causing you to clench your teeth, we can also recommend stress management techniques.

Take Your TMJ Troubles To A City Leeds Dentists

Friday, May 30th, 2014

3520145_blogThe TMJ, temporomandibular joint, is one of the most heavily used joints in the human body. It plays an important role in allowing you to carry out lots of functions and actions, including chewing and biting, opening your mouth to speak, yawn and cough and moving your jaw from side to side. You can feel the joint, which connects the skull to your lower jaw working when you hold your fingers in front of your ear lobes on the side of your face and then you move to open and then to close your mouth.

TMJ disorder is a term used to describe pain in and around the joint. There are many possible causes of TMJ disorder and sometimes, there are dental solutions. In these cases, our amazing dentists can help to ease pain and increase mobility and flexibility in the joint.

Causes of TMJ disorder

One of the main causes of TMJ disorder is teeth grinding, which is known as bruxism. This is a common problem, which many people are unaware affects them because it tends to be a subconscious action, which occurs during the night. Bruxism occurs when the teeth rub together; it can cause damage to the teeth, but it can also contribute to symptoms of TMJ disorder, which include headaches, earache, shoulder and neck pain and migraines, as well as stiffness in the jaw.

If you have any of these symptoms or you hear clicking or popping noises when you move your jaw, we may be able to help you.

How we can help

If you grind your teeth, we are able to provide custom-made guards, which are worn at night, to protect your teeth and lower the risk of waking up with painful aches. The guards are similar to mouth guards, which are worn for sport, and they help to prevent contact between the top and bottom of arches during the night. They are bespoke so they should fit perfectly and you should be able to enjoy a restful night’s sleep.

TMJ Can Be A Real Headache In City Centre Leeds

Sunday, April 6th, 2014

3534882_blogThe TMJ (temporomandibular joint) is one of the most frequently used joints in the human body. It is the joint that connects the lower jaw to the skull and it is involved in a number of common actions, from opening and closing the mouth to chewing food. You can feel your TMJ in action if you put your fingers on the side of your face, just below your ear lobes and then move your jaw or open your mouth. Sometimes, the TMJ becomes strained and this causes pain and stiffness; this is known as TMJ disorder or TMD.

TMJ disorder is an umbrella term, which is used to describe pain in the joint. There are many possible causes, including teeth grinding, and the most common symptoms are headaches, jaw pain, earache, stiffness and limited movement in the jaw. Teeth grinding is commonly linked to stress or anxiety and studies show that it is becoming increasingly common. Most people are unaware that they grind their teeth, as it usually happens during the night.

Teeth grinding (bruxism) causes tooth wear, but it can also contribute to TMJ disorder and this is where we can intervene to help you to sleep better, save your teeth and ensure you wake up without headaches and jaw pain. We can offer bespoke night guards to help to prevent teeth clenching; these are similar to protective gum shields, which are worn for playing sport. We can also offer advice about stress management in cases where bruxism is linked to stress.

Aching Jaw? Speak to Leeds Dentist about TMJ.

Tuesday, July 17th, 2012

Connecting your jaw to the your skull, the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is vitally important for all forms of jaw movement: speaking, chewing, swallowing, etc. The name of the joint is derived from the two bones that connect: temporal and mandible. Although the joint is in constant use, we rarely give it a second thought until there is a problem. Many people though, at some point in their lives, will suffer from temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD), or TMJ syndrome. It is a common condition that is normally characterised by chronic pain and heightened sensitivity in the area of the TMJ.

Alongside the pain and sensitivity, may TMJD sufferers will have hyperactivity in the jaw, this will normally manifest as the clenching of the jaw (‘bruxism’), facial twitches and distortions, and grinding your teeth when asleep. While these symptoms do not pose a major risk in the short term it is very important to have the problem checked out by your Leeds dentist as over the medium/long term clenching and grinding can cause serious problems to your teeth. A range of other symptoms may also indicate TMJD, from discomfort chewing, jaw popping, facial aches and headaches.

Depending on the specifics of the case, your doctor will suggests some treatments or refer to you to a specialist doctor. Stretching and massaging the jaw muscles can provide some relief from the symptoms but it will still be necessary to seek medical advice to address the underlying issues.

You and Your Jaws in Central Leeds

Friday, June 15th, 2012

There are many things that can go wrong with your mouth and so there are many things to be on the lookout for in central Leeds. But it’s not all about the teeth and gums for these are just two parts of the jigsaw- just as important is the jaws. There is a lot of forces that go through the point at where the jaws meet, or to give it the technical term, the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Every day, you are chewing and talking- okay these are natural things that the jaws can handle, what you are trying to avoid is over working it or putting it at too much risk. Sports are to be encouraged at all times, but you should also take precautions to protect your jaw at all costs- especially with contact sports. Teeth grinding can also be very dangerous for the jaws and even though, as in sports, a mouth-guard will help to lessen the damage done to the teeth and gums, the forces are still being exerted through biting down on the guard. Overtime this will damage the jaws, neck and upper back and you may also do damage to your hearing and bring on bad headaches. The damage done will require quite complex surgery to put right. If you want to know more about your TMJ, you should get in contact with your dentist.