You’re busy making last-minute preparations for Thanksgiving and a long holiday weekend.
If you have to travel to visit relatives, you might be running through your packing list.
If you’re charged with hosting family, instead, you have even more chores ahead of you, from shopping to cleaning to, of course, cooking!
But it’s all worth it because you’re still focused on the reason for the season.
And that’s gratitude, right?
It’s hard to feel grateful when you’re distracted by the chronic pain of TMJ disorder.
Today, our team at Yellowstone Family Dental is here to offer some answers with our blog about the symptoms and causes of TMJ disorder, as well as solutions for relief and healing in Billings, MT!
TMJ Pain Spoils The Spirit Of Gratitude
TMJ disorder (TMD) is the type of problem that you really can’t trace unless you had experience or training in dental health matters. It’s not like a cold, where the average person can connect all the dots of typical symptoms to know, with some confidence, what the problem is.
That’s because the general signs of TMJ disorder are somewhat unrelated on the surface, especially if you can’t pinpoint an obvious cause, recall any specifics about when symptoms began, or know about some of the behaviors that trigger the condition.
But here’s a list of common red flags that might give you more insight into whether TMD is to blame for your discomfort:
*Chronic painful headaches
*Persistent muscle tension in your face, neck, and jaw
*Earache pain
*Teeth grinding (bruxism)
*Pain or discomfort when eating
*Lockjaw
*Popping sounds in your jaw
At first, all the discomfort you’re experiencing day in and day out may not seem related, but once you know about TMD, it’s easy to see how all these symptoms connect.
Be Thankful For TMJ Pain Relief!
They all involve function, mobility, and pain level of those areas in close proximity to your jaw.
So what caused your TMD?
Unfortunately, this isn’t always an easy question to answer either.
For instance, maybe you clench your jaw and grind your teeth, known as bruxism, which can be a cause or a symptom of TMD.
So did your jaw joint start malfunctioning as a result of teeth grinding or did the pressure from teeth grinding kickstart your jaw misalignment?
And since teeth grinding usually happens while a person is asleep, were you even aware you were clenching and grinding your teeth in the first place?
See what we mean?
A few other causes of TMD could be:
*Trauma to the jaw or head
*Problems with posture
*Chronic stress
*High pain sensitivity
*Teeth position
*Arthritis
Here’s the point we’re trying to make.
If you want relief and healing, you can’t rely on self-diagnosis. You need the help of a trained professional.
At Yellowstone Family Dental, we can evaluate your symptoms to see if you have TMJ or bruxism problems and fit you for a custom oral appliance, if that’s the case. What that will do is prevent your upper and lower teeth from touching and alleviate the stress on your jaw joint.
You should see results right away with an ease of painful symptoms, and over time, your jaw can actually heal itself with this method of treatment.
Call Us Today!
Don’t try to ignore the pain of TMJ disorder away. Get the relief you need so you aren’t distracted from the well-deserved quality time with your family this season.
A personalized mouthguard will give your jaw a chance to heal, your teeth protection against constant pressure, and you the peace of mind of a pain-free holiday.
Call Yellowstone Family Dental in Billings, MT today at 406-245-7026 or contact us online to request an appointment.