TMJ: The Root of Your Pain

TMJ which stands for temporomandibular joint dysfunction has become quite common dental issue. The early signs of Temporomandibular joint are lingering pain in jaw, chewing muscle, or bones. TMJ is also known by other names such as TMD or TMJD especially if there is several other jaw related issues, says dentist near T3B 5K1.

Let us gain some more insight on the TMJ disorder:

What is TMJ?

According to dentist near NW Calgary, the jaw is made of a team of bones, muscles, joints, and tissues working together for functioning correctly. If anything affects any of these components of your jaw, it can lead to chronic pain and issues with the joints in your jaw. TMJ is a broad term which includes any of this pain or dysfunction.

The dentist in Calgary AB says that, TMJ can feel like anything like headache, an inner ear infection, pain moving from your face and head down to your neck and shoulder. A dentist’s office near you at NW Calgary can help with issues like this.

Who Can Get TMJ?

According to Nose Hill Drive NW Calgary dentist, women are more vulnerable to developing TMJ than men. However, there are other risk factors as well which increase your chances of having TMJ such as:

• Grinding Teeth

You may or may not know that you grind your teeth during sleep but one way to find out is if you notice your teeth getting shorter. The pressure and movement can cause jaw problems.

• Stress

If you have stressful job or the jaw problems emerge during stressful times in your life, clenching the mouth is a habit that can cause TMJ.

• Teeth Alignment

If your mouth does not close in a healthy line or if you have crooked teeth, it could be putting extra pressure on the jaw.

Treating TMJ

• Home remedies such as gentle stretching or cold compress
• Wearing a night guard for preventing teeth grinding during sleep
• Orthodontics for better mouth alignment
• Gently filling a thin layer from teeth to improve the alignment

TMJ can cause lot of discomfort and pain so it’s better to consult a professional at the earliest.