TMJ Treatment In Chattanooga TN

Have you been suffering from frequent headaches, painful migraines, your jawbone locking, misalignment of your upper and lower teeth, or pain when you chew or speak? Then you might have TMJ Disorder.

What Is TMD Disorder?

TMJ Disorder is “temporal-mandibular joint disorder”, also known as TMD which dymply stands for “temporomandibular disorder”.

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research describes TMD as “a group of conditions that cause dysfunction in the jaw muscles that controls the movement of your jaw.”

There are 3 body parts that have to all work together in order for you to avoid TMD and be able to chew, talk and sleep comfortably. They are your jaw:

  1. Bones
  2. Muscles
  3. Teeth

If any one of these 3 are out of alignment or damaged then you are likely to experience any of the TMJ symptoms.

Effective & Non-Painful TMJ Treatment That Will Relieve Your TMJ Symptoms!

Whenever someone feels pain in their jawbone they always ask if it is TMJ and if so, "How is TMJ Treated? What happens if it goes untreated?" Most of the time you don't want to leave them alone because they're painful. Your muscles hurt. Your jaw is stiff in the morning when you wake up. Or it may wake you up at night. It may be after a long, stressful day and you've been clenching and your jaw has been rocking because your teeth don't fit together correctly. Then you will want to ... (read more)

Is TMJ curable and can it go away on its own? First of all, curable? Yes. If it's the teeth that are causing the problem, it's most definitely curable. However, remember, there are other things that can cause that kind of pain.

You can have osteoarthritis or general arthritis. You can have nerve problems in the face and eye and chin region from trigeminal neurologists. Those are nasty little things that we have to get our big brothers, the MDS, ear, nose and throat doctors to fix. You can have ... (read more)

One of the first questions people ask me when they come in for a TMJ problem is they look at me and say, “I have TMJ”. And I look back at them and say, “I do, too. I got two of them and I bet you do, too. You have one on each side of your head.” And being a smart alec is just a way to break the ice.

Seriously, though, TMJ is the name of the joint temporomandibular joint. Tmj. It’s this area right here where the jaw, the skull and the muscles all intersect to make ... (read more)

Where is TMJ felt? And what does it feel like? TMJ can occur on any of the facial muscles that aid the jaw in opening and closing so we can speak and eat.

This muscle over here is called the temporalis muscle. It goes all the way from the point of your head to the base of your skull. It's the first muscle that pulls your jaw back into position and makes it get ready to close.

Once you close, there's a strap of muscles that go from the corner of your jaw to your cheek on the inside and the outside that are huge. They're the ones that you clench and bite down and ... (read more)

Patients who have TMD often come into our office with jaw pain, a popping or clicking noise in their jaw, or chipped or worn down teeth. This is from the upper or lower jaw not closing or opening correctly causing any one of the following symptoms to occur on a constant basis:

  • Long Strong Headaches
  • Popping or clicking sounds when you open and close your mouth
  • Sudden misalignment of your upper and lower teeth
  • Swelling on the side of your cheek
  • Continuous pain in your jaw when you are talking or eating
  • Not being able to move your jaw as much as could before
  • Your jaw suddenly locking in a certain position
  • Constant pain and / or ringing in your ears.
  • Pain from pressure or tension behind your eyes
  • Tension and discomfort in your shoulder or neck

Unfortunately, these types of TMJ symptoms can also be caused by other factors as well which makes it very difficult to know over the phone if you have TMD or not. This is why it is recommended that you set up your free consultation with Dr. Gary L White so he can give you his own professional opinion as to if you have TMD.

Questions & Answers About TMJ Symptoms

How is TMJ treated? What happens if it goes untreated?
Is TMJ curable? Can it go away on its own?
What is TMJ (temporomandibular joint)?
Where is TMJ felt? What does it feel like?
Is TMJ permanent? Does it go away on its own?
Where is TMJ located? Does TMJ show up in an X ray?
How do you relieve TMJ tension?
Is TMJ caused by wisdom teeth? What is the main cause of TMJ?

What Causes TMD For Most Patients?

According to WebMB and other professional dental associations, we still have yet to find an exact cause of TMD. Most patients who have TMD have had past issues with:

  • Arthritis In The Neck or Shoulders
  • Grinding Of The Teeth
  • Constant Stress To The Neck Or Head
  • Past Physical Injury Or Dislocation Of The Jaw

The temporomandibular joint consists of an upper and lower bone that are separated by a small disc that creates smooth movement as you open and close your mouth. If the disc shifts out of line or if you experience erosion, it can cause TMD to accrue.

Instead of simply sitting on your gums and relying on suction or maybe an adhesive to stay in place, our dentures with implants allow your dentures to be locked in place until you are ready to take them back out. This allows them to stay tight and snug without ever coming loose or falling out.

How To Best Treat Your TMJ or TMD Symptoms

For most patients, Dr, Gary L White will create a custom acrylic mouth guard that can be worn comfortably while you sleep. Dr. White will custom create your own mouth guard so it fits your own personal bight, instead of using a generic mold that is a “one-size-fits-all”.

After wearing the custom mouth guard for a short time, your muscles will begin to relax allowing Dr. White to be able to see what parts of your bite are interfering with your mouth’s natural closed position. Dr White will then make slight adjustments to the interfering tooth or teeth so that through time your TMD issues will return back to normal - eliminating all forms of TMJ pain and discomfort you had at the beginning.

Get The Effective TMJ Relief You Deserve!

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms discussed above, then please call our office and someone at Dentist Of Chattanooga will set up your free consultation with Dr Gary L White to discuss your possible TMD issues. Dr White will then be able to give you the proper medical advice you need to help take care of the pain you are experiencing.

They are:

  • Dental Implants
  • Conventional Dentures
  • Full And Partial Dentures
  • Upper Dentures
  • Lower Dentures
  • Temporary Dentures
  • Immediate Dentures

This is why at Dentist of Chattanooga we recommend you set up a free consultation with Dr. White when it is the best time for you. He will listen to your situation and discuss with you the best possible options for your denture needs. In most cases, this helps actual patients describe this situation better and allows Dr. Gary L White to help them choose the best option for their personal needs.