Holistic TMJ Pain Treatment for a Healthy, Painless Smile

When you have TMJ pain, enjoying life can be difficult. From morning headaches and jaw pain to clicking sounds when opening your jaw, TMJ disorder can wreak havoc on your health. Nobody deserves to live in pain. So, if you are living under the bondage of TMJ disorder, please book an appointment with Evergreen Dental Wellness in Annandale, Virginia, and you will be a step closer to a painless life.

TMJ Disorder Explained

To explain the cause of your morning headaches and facial pain, you need to understand the anatomy of your jaw. The Temporomandibular Joint (abbreviated as TMJ) is a hinge-like joint that connects the lower jaw (mandible) to the skull. This joint is flexible enough to move sideways, up and down, enabling you to yawn, laugh, chew, and smile without pain. 

Unfortunately, when this joint has a malfunction, you may experience numerous unpleasant symptoms, like: 

• jaw and neck and back pain
• headaches
• a popping sound when opening and closing your jaw
• limited jaw mobility
• ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
• pain radiating to the neck and shoulders

If you experience these symptoms, visiting a dentist might be the last thing on your mind. However, you may not know it, but dentists like Dr. Richard Fischer have expertise in TMJ treatment using conservative options. 

Risk Factors for TMJ Pain

Why is your jaw in pain? Good question! There are several reasons for TMJ disorder, the chief cause being teeth clenching or grinding. Many patients who involuntarily grind or clench their teeth don’t realize how damaging this habit can be to their health. Teeth grinding, technically called bruxism, messes with your jaw alignment, putting undue pressure on the jaw muscles. Over time, you develop TMJ problems and other undesirable health concerns. 

The other common causes of TMJ disorder include: 

• Stress
• Inflammation
• Misaligned bite
• Nail-biting
• Direct injury to the jaw

TMJ Pain Treatment for a Pain-Free Life

When you present yourself with morning headaches, we don’t go straight to treatment by prescribing painkillers and other drugs. Our objective is to look at your “whole body” and not just your symptoms. We do this by identifying the root cause of the problem. After looking at your medical history and inquiring about your symptoms, the first thing is to investigate whether TMJ disorder is the cause.

If we confirm TMJ pain diagnosis, treatment involves a custom-made dental device that repositions your jaws, relieving pressure on the TMJ. While the occlusal splint doesn’t heal TMJ disorder, it reduces pain, improves jaw mobility, and generally improves the quality of life. 

Alongside the dental splint, Dr. Fischer may recommend other treatments like:

• Jaw exercises
• Chiropractic, Osteopathic or physical therapy
• Jaw massage therapy
• Orthodontic treatment to align your bite
• Anti-inflammatory diet or medication

TMJ Pain Treatment in and around Annandale, Virginia

Looking forward to a pain-free lifestyle with our TMJ treatment in Annandale, Virginia? Please dial 703-215-9630 to book an appointment with Evergreen Dental Wellness for TMJ pain relief.