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TMD and Jaw Pain

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMD) refers to a range of conditions relating to acute or chronic inflammation of the Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) or Jaw Joint. The disorder has many names but the point is that inflammation of the jaw joint caused by jaw joint overload and excess tooth grinding is a common problem and one that we now have effective treatments for. It is associated with poor sleep, fatigue, hyperactivity in children, snoring and perhaps obstructive sleep apnoea.

jaw pain

The Jaw joint connects the lower jaw bone to the skull, and inflammation of the Jaw joint can be caused by several factors. The trouble is once the Jaw joint is inflamed, it is impossible to take it out of function as we need to eat and talk every day. Also every time we swallow this inflammation is made worse. We swallow 2000 – yes two thousand times a day. If all the structures are well lined up, then chewing, eating, talking, kissing and relating to our parent are pain free and fun. On the other hand, if these structures are not properly aligned and inflammation and ligaments are stretched then eating, talking perhaps even smiling are painful and uncomfortable. So if you suffer from what you think is pain and inflammation of the Jaw joints due to: clenching and grinding of the teeth then please give us a ring on 039592 920 so we can get you living a normal life again.

TMD or Jaw joint overload problems presents as either mild or severe pain, and it affects about 72% of people at some stage in their life. The treatment for 50% of these people is relatively simple, if treated early.

Lifetime Holistic Dental’s Dr Chris Darby takes a special interest in the diagnosis and management of TMD, jaw and facial pain. As a committee member of the executive of the Australian chapter of the American Academy of Craniofacial Pain (AACP), he is constantly updating and educating himself on the latest developments in the best ways to treat – Facial and Jaw Joint pain, headaches, snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea, so you couldn’t be in better hands when it comes to treating your jaw and facial pain., headaches, neck aches, eye aches and snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea.

Symptoms of TMD

If you notice any of the following symptoms, you should make an appointment with our friendly team as soon as possible:

  • Limited jaw opening or closing.
  • Clenching and grinding your teeth (bruxism).
  • An uncomfortable bite.
  • Clicking, grating or popping noises when using your jaw.
  • Pain when chewing, yawning or opening the jaw widely.
  • Pain in and around the ears, cheeks, and face.
  • Headaches or migraine-like symptoms.
  • Earaches, loss of hearing or ringing in the ears.
  • Face, neck, back or shoulder pain.
  • A feeling of muscle spasms.
  • A stuck or ‘locked’ jaw.
  • Fatigue and poor unrefreshing sleep
  • Snoring or stopping breathing.

Why Choose Our TMD and Jaw Pain Treatments

  • Our holistic dentist practice opts for non-invasive treatments wherever possible. We use everything from the home exercise, to non-invasive laser dentistry, to splint or orthotic therapy which have been shown to be very effective treatment and most often help us prevent the need for surgery.
  • Instead of just treating the pain, we treat the causes, so you end up with lifelong relief. Needles and medication (like Botox injections), just cover up the problem, we heal your jaw joint and remove the inflammation from it.
  • The pain and other symptoms of TMD/jaw pain and jaw joint overload symptoms affect your quality of life. Everyone deserves to live a pain-free life, and it is attainable with the help of the dentists at Lifetime Holistic Health.

Our At-Home Exercise Procedure

The ultimate aim of our dental care is to keep you out of the chair as much as possible. Try this exercise at home to reduce or perhaps cure your TMD and jaw pain and increase your range of motion of your Jaw. Naturally, if the pain persists then please stop the exercises and give us a ring on 03-95292920.

The exercises to increase range of motion of your Jaws are:

  1. Opening Exercise: place your clenched fist under your chin with your jaw slightly open. Try to open your jaw against fist pressure and hold for 15 seconds. Then, remove the hand support and open smoothly and widely. Repeat 5 times. As time goes on start wit the jaw further open each time.
  2. Lateral or left and right Movement: place you clenched fist on the left hand side of your lower jaw on the side and try to swing your jaw to the left against fist pressure for 15 seconds. Use the left fist against the chin with the forearm parallel to the ground, before swinging the jaw smoothly without fist pressure. Repeat 5 times. Repeat on the right-hand side.
  3. Frequency: Complete these exercises 3 times a day for 3 weeks. It’s normal to feel pain in the first week, but it will settle after time. You can use a hot flannel to reduce pain around the area, or even take two aspirin about twenty minutes before starting.

Another Exercise to relieve Muscular facial pain is Leaf Gauge Exercises for relief of facial pain.
At our office we also teach Leaf Gauge Exercises. These exercises are used to relieve the symptoms of sore facial muscles. They take 10 minutes to teach and are very effective at relaxing sore and overworked facial muscles.

Contact Lifetime Holistic Dental Today

To get in touch with the friendly team at Lifetime Holistic Dental, just: