TMJ Philadelphia

Understanding TMJ Disorder

This video by a colleague of Dr. Siegel who has the same training, explains TMD in a very visual and fun way.

Not everyone experiences all these symptoms. However, if you have three or more of these symptoms, you likely have TMJ.

Tension Headaches

TMJ causes tension headaches because it puts stress on your jaw muscles. These muscles could be directly responsible for your tension headaches–the largest jaw muscles stretch up the side of the head to attach at your temples–the side of your head at eye level. 

Jaw muscles can also indirectly cause tension headaches. All the muscles in your body work as a team, and when one muscle is overworked, it can force other muscles to work harder or differently. When jaw muscles are tense, they can pass tension on to their muscle partners, leading to headaches. 

Migraines

Migraines are a bit mysterious–we don’t fully understand them, so we don’t fully understand how TMJ causes them. However, we do understand several key links between TMJ and migraines. The trigeminal nerve, for example, is a key trigger point for migraines. This nerve controls the jaw muscles, and TMJ can lead to overstimulation of the nerve, triggering migraines. 

Shoulder, Neck, or Back Pain

As with tension headaches, TMJ typically triggers these pains because of the way that muscles work together. Overworked or inefficiently working jaw muscles can lead to strain in the neck, shoulder, and back muscles. 

Numbness in Arms and Fingers

It may seem strange that your jaw can cause numbness or tingling in your fingers, but it’s true. When your jaw is out of alignment, your body might try to balance it by misaligning shoulders, vertebrae, and other structures. This can further narrow the already slim passages that nerves follow from the spine to your fingers. These narrowed passages can put pressure on the nerves, leading to numbness and tingling. 

Facial Pain

Jaw muscles underlie most of the facial structure. Sore jaw muscles can feel like facial pain. You might also feel referred pain in the face–jaw muscle pain that your brain thinks is coming from the face. 

Jaw Pain

We’ve talked a lot about sore muscles. Sore jaw muscles are the most common source of jaw pain. However, you might also feel pain from a displaced or poorly aligned jaw. In severe TMJ, you might also experience pain from bone spurs caused by grinding bones. 

Clicking or Popping Jaw

Jaw sounds are common in TMJ, especially a clicking or popping jaw. The sound occurs when the cushioning disc between the jawbone and the skull slips in and out of place. You might also feel the joint make irregular motions when this happens. This sound is a warning that you might experience locking of the jaw as the disc might not be able to slip back into place. 

Clenching or Grinding Teeth

When your jaw is out of alignment, your muscles might try to move it back into position, but in the process, they might cause your jaw to clench and grind. Over time, this will damage your teeth. 

Chewing Difficulties

Bite irregularities from TMJ can make it hard to chew. You might not have a very efficient chewing mechanism, making it difficult to chew some foods you used to eat easily. You might also bite your tongue and cheek more often. 

Ear Symptoms

Ear symptoms are common in TMJ–more than three-quarters of people experience them. That’s because the jaw joint has close functional links to the ear. People often experience multiple ear-related symptoms, including:

• Ringing ears (tinnitus)
• Congested ears
• Ear pain
• Hearing loss
• Dizziness or vertigo

Not everyone experiences all the same ear symptoms. 

Emotional and Psychological Impact

The chronic pain and discomfort of TMJ can make it a very draining condition to live with. Worse, people often find their doctors, supervisors, coworkers, and family members unsympathetic. People don’t know the burden carried by TMJ sufferers. 

Snoring or Sleep Apnea

Technically, snoring and sleep apnea are not symptoms of TMJ, but they are closely related, so it’s worth noting that if you have TMJ, you are very likely to have sleep apnea, a potentially deadly condition that is commonly undiagnosed.

TMJ Diagnosis

Diagnosis of TMJ disorder at Dental Excellence of Blue Bell is a highly technical process, but it is also painless and accurate. Many treatments for it fail because they do not address the source of the patient’s TMJ problem. There is no one-size-fits-all approach that will successfully remedy every patient’s symptoms because every patient is different. While many patients suffer from TMJ disorder because of a problem with their bite, we can’t simply apply the same bite correction to each patient.

Every patient has a bite position that is physiologically correct for them. Using neuromuscular dentistry techniques and technology such as the J5 Myomonitor and the K-7 Evaluation computer, Dr. Siegel will analyze your current bite and then assess whether or not that bite is in line with your natural, neuromuscular bite position. He will be able to tell which of your muscles are working harder than others and can see in 3 dimensions, the path that your jaw travels as you open and close your mouth.

We can also get detailed information about the state of your temporomandibular joints using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). CBCT is a 3D imaging tool that can assess the exact position, shape, and density of bone in the joint and even give us some valuable information about relevant soft tissues. This advanced, powerful tool gives us information we can’t get other ways. This allows for more accurate TMJ diagnosis.

This video describes the TMJ diagnosis process using neuromuscular dentistry.

Dangers of TMJ

TMJ is generally a progressive condition. This means that, left untreated, it will tend to worsen. As a result, the number, frequency, and severity of your TMJ symptoms will increase over time. You may start to experience a locked jaw. The disc separating your jawbone and skull might break down or become permanently displaced, leading the bones to grind. This can cause a different type of jaw noise–a scraping sound known as crepitus–and may lead to painful bone spurs. Damaged teeth may need to be restored or even extracted and replaced. 

Early TMJ treatment can be simple, noninvasive, and effective. Delaying TMJ treatment can make the condition more challenging to treat–sometimes surgery is required. Late TMJ treatment is less likely to be effective.

What Are Your Options For Treatment?

With TMJ, home care remedies are the best place to start for TMJ treatment. However, if symptoms last more than a week, worsen, or improve, then recur, you should seek professional care. Also, seek professional care if symptoms interfere with your daily life.

There are many options to help alleviate TMJ / TMD disorders. The best way to discover the plan that is right for you is to schedule a consultation with Dr. Siegel.

If you want to learn more about TMJ in Philadelphia, call us at (610) 272-0828 to make an appointment or request an appointment online. If you have any questions about TMJ treatment, don’t hesitate to call or email us.