TMJ/TMD Therapy – Portage, IN

The temporomandibular joints (also known simply as the TMJ) may be a small part of the body, but their responsibility is extremely important. They connect your skull to your lower jaw (the mandible) and facilitate movement – without them, you couldn’t chew food, speak, or yawn. Unfortunately, when these joints and their related facial muscles experience any kind of stress or strain, the result can be chronic pain. This condition is known as TMJ dysfunction (TMD), and the Advanced Dental Concepts team will address it with focused therapy techniques in order to bring back your smile’s full function. Please contact us today if you have any questions, or if you’re ready to schedule a visit here in Portage.

TMJ Diagnosis & Treatment

During regular checkups, our dentists will always take the time to screen for troubling signs of TMD. If you experience any of the following symptoms on a regular basis, please don’t hesitate to inform us:

• Regularly hearing clicking or grinding noises in the jaw
• Struggling to fully open and close the jaw
• Constant pain that’s located in the jaw, neck, head, or ears and is typically more severe when first waking in the mornings
• Sharp pain when chewing food, speaking, or moving the jaw in any way

We want to keep your treatment plan as conservative as possible, which is why our goal is to pinpoint the presence of this debilitating condition as soon as it arises. In advanced stages, TMJ disorder may require orthodontics or outright surgery to successfully overcome.

Occlusal Splints

Occlusal splints are custom-made appliances that will adjust the patient’s occlusion (the way their rows of teeth fit together) to a more proper and comfortable position. By wearing your splint while you sleep, you can limit any unnecessary movement and prevent excessive strain on the joints. This type of appliance is also often referred to a “nightguard,” and patients who regularly suffer from bruxism (teeth grinding) can benefit from its use as well.

Occlusal Adjustments

When performing occlusal adjustment, our dentists will make minor changes to the surfaces of certain teeth in order to create a stronger sense of harmony throughout the patient’s overall bite. This should eliminate excessive pressure in any particular area of the mouth.

Additional methods for recovering from TMJ disorder include facial movement exercises, daily stretching, and the use of braces/retainers.