TMJ Therapy in Arlington Heights, IL

Your temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the place where your jaw attaches to your skull to enable you to close and open your jaw smoothly. Sometimes the TMJ is damaged or injured, resulting in a debilitating condition known as temporomandibular joint disorder or dysfunction (TMD). If you're having pain or hearing sounds whenever you open your jaw, then schedule an appointment at Springer/Orser Dentistry to see if you have TMD. At our office in Arlington Heights, IL, we utilize innovative tools to examine and care for your TMD to ease pain. Your TMJ therapy will be dependent on the cause of your TMD and your particular condition, but a few choices are oral appliances (night or mouth guards), bite modification, dental restorations, and much more.

Temporomandibular joint disorder might be brought on by an injury to the jaw, years of grinding your teeth and clenching your jaw (bruxism), or a misaligned bite (dental malocclusion). Other conditions that might lead to TMD include a tumor in the TMJ or arthritis. Sometimes the reason for TMD is uncertain, but if you're having signs and symptoms, we can diagnose and care for your TMJ. The most typical signs of TMD are tenderness or pain at the jaw, involuntary contractions in your face muscles, feeling as if your jaw is rigid or stuck, and frequent headaches that begin near your ears. Another sign is hearing popping, cracking, or clicking when you open your jaw.

To diagnose a temporomandibular disorder, our dental team will listen carefully to understand your concerns prior to a physical exam. Throughout the examination, we will evaluate how your jaw moves and start looking for indications of jaw clenching, teeth grinding, and misalignment. We will also palpate the jawbone and lower face for any swelling and tenderness. We might order digital images of your lower head along with an analysis of your bite to search for underlying factors that could determine your therapy approach. Depending on the examination, we will discuss your treatment choices that could incorporate a mouth guard, teeth straightening, or restorations (crowns or bridges).

Along with treatments to fix the root cause of your temporomandibular joint disorder, we may suggest different means to ease pain and other problems on your own. This may include a liquid or soft food diet, not biting your nails or chewing gum, applying heat to your jaw, and relaxation methods. We may also show you exercises to strengthen your jaws or prescribe medication to relax your muscles (and to ease pain, nervousness, or even inflammation).

You should continue to go to follow-up appointments so we can assess the results from your TMJ treatment. If your therapy isn't working, we might recommend another strategy. As soon as your TMD has been treated, you should keep going to yearly dental examinations to maintain your oral health.

Dental insurance policies for diagnosing TMJ pain and TMD remedies will change, so we'll get in touch with your provider to figure out your personal expenses. Whether you do or don't have dental insurance, a member of our financial team will discuss price quotes when explaining treatment choices. To make all remedies more affordable, our practice takes many payment options and we will be able to help you find medical financing.

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain can make it tough to eat, talk, and enjoy your day-to-day life. Since there are lots of potential causes, signs, and remedies to treat temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD), make an appointment at Springer/Orser Dentistry at our practice in Arlington Heights, IL. We will perform a detailed exam prior to your diagnosis and talking about treatment choices. Get in touch with our staff to learn more and plan an appointment.