Why You Can’t Solve TMJ Problems On Your Own

If you have a toothache, you might try several home remedies to alleviate it before realizing it won’t go away for good without your dentist’s help. However, if you experience a seemingly random combination of discomforts, such as pain in your jaw combined with chronic headaches and migraines, there may be no home remedy that can help relieve the problem. Today, we examine why you can’t solve the problem of TMJ disorder on your own with home remedies, and why visiting your dentist for custom treatment could be the only way to restore your bite’s function.

What having TMJ disorder means

TMJ disorder is an acronym for temporomandibular joint disorder, which affects one or both of the joints that control your jaw movement. Having TMJ disorder means that one or both of your TMJs have ceased to function properly, which can occur for a wide range of potential reasons. For instance, the joints may become damaged under excessive pressure, or forced out of alignment due to an imbalance in your bite. Once a disorder develops, the pain and discomfort can grow increasingly more severe, and your bite function will diminish as TMJ disorder progresses.

The signs that you have a TMJ disorder

Because TMJ disorder can describe different specific types of problems with your jaw joints, the symptoms of having one can differ from patient to patient. Jaw pain, soreness, and stiffness are common, given the fact that TMJ disorder mainly impacts your jaw function. However, you might also develop one or more of the following symptoms the more your TMJs become compromised:

• Popping or clicking in your jaw joints
• Shifting of your jaw when you bite and chew
• Pain and ringing in one or both ears
• Soreness in your facial and neck muscles
• Chronic teeth-grinding (bruxism)
• And more

How to successfully treat the condition

If you develop TMJ disorder, the many potential contributing factors to it are partly why you can’t always alleviate its symptoms at home. An over-the-counter pain reliever may help soften a headache now and then, but there is no medication to improve your bite’s function, stop your TMJs from shifting and popping, or other consequences of TMJ disorder. The best solution is to visit your dentist for a thorough assessment to determine the specific cause and extent of your TMJ disorder. Then, your dentist can design an appropriate treatment plan to allow your jaw joints to heal and your bite function to recover.

Learn how we can solve your TMJ problems

If you suffer from the symptoms of TMJ disorder, the only way to solve the problem and find lasting relief is with professional help from your dentist. To learn more, schedule an appointment by calling Yelena Popkova D.D.S. in Merrimack, NH, today at 603-595-9400. We also serve the residents of Nashua, Hudson, Manchester, Milford, and all surrounding communities.