When you have persistent pain in your jaw or regular headaches, then you may need treatment to avoid further TMJ pain and safeguard your smile. Our team wants to help you find relief with a cosmetic treatment. In today’s blog, your Shrewsbury, MA, dentist talks about how we treat TMJ dysfunction with Botox and custom oral appliances.
The Causes of TMJ Disorder
TMJ disorder is a widespread disorder that impacts millions of smiles. The issue occurs when your jaw joints, which connect your jaw and skull, undergo excess strain and stress, which leads to a disorder that changes how you open and lose your mouth, and also causes a host of uncomfortable symptoms. The stress could include issues like bruxism (teeth grinding), tooth loss, misalignment, injury to the face or jaw, wisdom tooth eruption, or complications with the growth and development of your jaw and key oral structures.
Link to Bruxism
As we touched on above, the untreated TMJ dysfunction could lead to an increased risk of bruxism, or chronic teeth grinding. The reverse is true as well. Without treatment, bruxism places severe pressure on the teeth, which can wear them down or even crack or chip them, exposing the sensitive inner structure to bacteria and allow complications like tooth decay and infection to arise.
Warning Signs
How do you know if you need to see us for TMJ pain management? Warning signs could include headaches, migraines, facial pain, discomfort in the neck and shoulders, tooth sensitivity and toothaches, and a popping or clicking in the jaw. When you experience one or more of these issues, come see us right away so we can conduct a detailed diagnosis with digital technology and create a treatment plan.
Botox
How does Botox help your TMJ concerns? We will administer this medication to the jaw joints and facial muscles through injection. The botulism toxin then stops signals in the muscles that cause contractions, so the muscles relax. These medications then limit TMJ-related symptoms so you feel more comfortable and have a more effective bite. Of course, there are cosmetic benefits too. The medications can help smooth away fine lines and wrinkles so you gain a more youthful appearance. The effects tend to last about four to six months, so we can re-administer as needed during your checkup and cleaning appointments.
Oral Appliances
Our team may also create oral appliances to wear at night to further ease TMJ symptoms and even stop damage from bruxism. If you have any questions, reach out to our team today!
Start Your Treatment with Our Shrewsbury Team!
Cosmetic dentistry and custom appliances can help you avoid TMJ discomfort. To learn more about our treatments or to schedule your next appointment, give us a call at Modern Dentistry Of Shrewsbury at (508)842-8838 today!
