This post was updated on 10-18-2018 Performing gentle jaw strengthening exercises regularly will not only strengthen the masseter muscles (the muscles that open and close the mouth) but will also improve the range of motion of your jaw. Both outcomes will help to ease the symptoms associated with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder. For those without […]
“TMJ” refers to the temporomandibular joint, the hinged joint in the jaw that allows us to open and close our mouths. Any dysfunction of the TMJ can be referred to as TMJ disorder, or TMD. TMD has many possible causes, including a misaligned bite, trauma to the TMJ, grinding or clenching the teeth (bruxism) and […]
Are your headaches caused by TMJ? Temporomandibular joint disorder or TMJ syndrome is an inflammation of the temporomandibular joint which connects the mandible to the skull. The mandible contains the jawbone. This condition causes migraine-like pain, even though it is actually a dental condition. The interdisciplinary nature of the disease—a cross between dentistry and neurology—often […]
Studies by The Academy of General Dentistry have revealed that more than 10 million Americans suffer from the chronic inflammation occurring in the temporomandibular joint. This condition is called TMJ syndrome, or TMJ disorder. The TMJ is the joint connecting the mandible to the skull, and the TMJ disorder can cause a lot of pain and even impairment of this joint. People not […]
People who suffer from chronic facial pain and jaw pain often let their suffering go untreated because their physicians do not understand the cause of the pain. They are given painkillers or told that the pain is all in their heads. The pain however, is real and there and a neuromuscular dentist may be able […]
Today’s neuromuscular dentists use state-of-the-art technology to determine if a patient’s symptoms are caused by malocclusion and if so, what a patient’s optimal jaw position is. Neuromuscular dentists use computerized jaw tracking instruments to record jaw movement, resting position, and path of closure. Electromyography is used to measure a patient’s jaw’s muscle function in both […]
Millions suffer from TMJ headaches, and they are probably the least understood and the most misdiagnosed of any type of headache. The symptoms of a TMJ headache can closely mimic those of sinus headache, tension headache, migraine headache, and sometimes the cluster headache. Migraine: Many TMJD patients experience migraine type headaches. Sometimes these occur because of […]
TMD can often cause many complications. One of these complications is insomnia. Insomnia itself is not life threatening, but it can increase the risk of accidents, psychiatric issues, and certain medical conditions, affect school and work performance, and significantly inhibit quality of life. Lack of sleep can also contribute weight gain and obesity. Sleepiness increases […]
Trauma: Trauma can include any blow to the jaw or to the head and neck area. The pain may take weeks or even years following the incident before it becomes prevalent. Stress: With a lot of stress, the first muscles to contract are the chewing muscles which can lead patients to clench or grind their […]
One of the main reasons why so many people suffer from a tense or aching jaw is because the muscles of the jaw are innervated by the same nerve that innervates our flight or fight response when we are stressed. The Temporalis, Masseter, and Pterygoid muscles are used to bite, chew, and swallow. They are […]
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