TMJ Treatment In Homewood, AL

Chronic headaches can be a nightmare, making basic daily tasks unbearable. You may never think to consider it, but your jaw could be the cause, specifically your temporomandibular joint (TMJ). The TMJ hinges connect your jaw to your skull, allowing you to perform tasks such as talking and chewing. Due to the constant sliding motion of the hinge, the joint is more sensitive than other joints in the body and can cause several painful symptoms - including headaches - if something is off or preventing movement.

As part of your routine dental check-ups, our team at Central Avenue Dentistry will perform simple TMJ checks to ensure there is no tenderness or swelling. If an issue is identified, our team will recommend the best option for each individual to achieve optimal results. The treatment options include fixing an uneven bite by reshaping or adjusting teeth, moving teeth, or a night guard to avoid the grinding of teeth. We make your experience comfortable at Central Avenue Dentistry while providing quality and compassionate dental care.

The Signs And Causes Of TMJ

TMJ Treatment In Homewood, AL by Central Avenue Dentistry

The TMJ muscles run along the side of your face across your jaw and cheeks. When these muscles tense up from grinding teeth, pain can be inflicted and then spread to other TMJ muscles along your cheek and top of the head, leading to headaches. Other joint TMJ causes include arthritis, dislocation, injury, and improper alignment of teeth or jaw.

At Central Avenue Dentistry, we are specialists in diagnosing and treating TMJ disorder. Our TMJ treatment plans provide effective and accessible ways to help you begin relieving your TMJ pain and living a better daily life. Discover your options for headache pain relief with our specialized dental care.

There are many underlying causes of headaches and so it can be difficult to determine on your own if your issue is a TMJ headache. Generally, these symptoms would include tight facial or jaw muscles, neck and shoulder pain, facial pain, jaw pain, clicking noise in the jaw, or limited jaw movement. If you're unsure of the cause of your pain and headaches, call Dr. Chelsea and her team of professionals today for a consultation.

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Veneers

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FAQs

What Exercises Can Help TMJ?

There are a variety of exercises which we can teach you---from chin tucks to resisted mouth opening. These TMJ exercises may help relieve some pain and discomfort and improve the movement of your jaw. The exercises strengthen jaw muscles, stretch the jaw, relax the jaw, increase jaw mobility, and reduce jaw clicking to promote overall jaw healing.

Are There Other Things That I Can Do Myself?

Yes, there are various options to consider and choose from that may provide relief. The first is to avoid any foods that are hard or chewy, requiring a lot of chewing to finish. Heat and ice can also help relieve pain and other pain relievers such as Ibuprofen or Tylenol.

What Can I Expect At My First Visit?

Upon your first visit to Central Avenue Dentistry, our team will go through an extensive medical history to determine the cause of your symptoms. An examination of the head and neck will be completed where a diagnosis will be explained along with a treatment plan.