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TMJ and Bruxism

Do you wake up with headaches or neck or shoulder pain? Are your teeth sensitive? Are they starting to crack or look worn down?

You may have problems with your TMJ (temporomandibular joint) or bruxism (teeth grinding or clenching). TMJ disorders (TMD) affect over ten million Americans and are more common in women. These disorders can be painful and, in some cases, seriously affect your quality of life.

Often, TMJ disorders prevent patients from opening their mouths fully, making dental exams and oral hygiene difficult. Such severe symptoms put your oral health at risk.

Symptoms of TMJ Disorders

While TMJ symptoms can vary dramatically from person to person, some of them include:

Clicking or popping in your jaw joints
Being unable to open or close your mouth fully
Your teeth don't come together completely
Pain in your jaw joints
Facial, neck, or shoulder pain
Headaches or migraines
Grinding and clenching your teeth
Tooth sensitivity
Tinnitus
Worn or shortened teeth

What Causes TMJ Disorders?

Jaw problems can also be caused by accidents, trauma, or sports injuries. But in many cases, there is no definite cause.

How your teeth come together (occlusion) also plays a role in TMJ and may cause dysfunction in your jaw joints. Because more women are diagnosed with TMJ disorders, scientists are investigating a link between TMJ disorders and female hormones.

How Are TMJ Disorders Treated?

The treatment for TMD depends on the type and severity of the symptoms. It can include splint therapy, surgery, neuromuscular treatments, deprogrammers, or muscle relaxers.

Most cases of TMJ can be treated without surgery, though it may be necessary for severe cases.

Bruxism (Tooth Grinding and Clenching)

Bruxism is excessive clenching or grinding of teeth. While it is very common, its symptoms can be severe, including tooth sensitivity, worn teeth, and headaches.

Clenching and grinding occur more commonly during sleep but can also occur during the day. Treatment for bruxism usually involves creating a nightguard or splint to protect your teeth from damage.

If you suffer from symptoms of TMJ disorders or bruxism, call our office to schedule an evaluation. At that time, we will recommend the appropriate treatment to keep you comfortable and protect your teeth from damage.

Frequently Asked Questions

What causes TMJ pain?

The temporomandibular joints (TMJ) take a lot of wear and tear. Besides chewing, swallowing, and talking, the joints can experience overuse from gum chewing, yawning, and teeth clenching and grinding. If TMJ symptoms affect your quality of life, an oral surgery specialist can diagnose and treat the problem.

If you experience headaches, neck or jaw aches, clicking or popping in your jaw, pain around your ear, sensitive teeth, or jaw pain when eating or yawning, you may have a TMJ disorder.

Here’s what can lead to TMJ pain:

Arthritis is common in older adults and can also occur in your jaw joints.
Grinding or clenching your teeth (bruxism) tightens your facial and jaw muscles and puts stress on your temporomandibular joints. Bruxism can also cause extra wear on your teeth.
Poor posture causes the muscles of the jaw, neck, and face to tighten, causing pain and other symptoms.
Trauma to your jaw can lead to a TMJ disorder later on.
Misaligned teeth may impact your bite and how your joints fit together.

As you can see, decreasing stress, taking care of your oral health, and wearing a night guard are all ways to prevent TMJ pain. If conservative treatments don’t give you relief, talk to your oral surgery specialist about TMJ surgery.

Are my headaches due to TMJ problems?

Having headaches can be a symptom of TMJ disorders. In order to determine if that is the case for you, we can do an evaluation. If your symptoms are due to TMJ, we will provide treatment alternatives to help.

What are the symptoms of TMJ disorders?

Symptoms for TMJ disorders can vary dramatically from one person to the next and can include facial pain, neck pain, headaches, sensitive teeth, clicking or popping joints, locking jaw joints, and your teeth not coming together correctly.

If you experience any of these symptoms, call our office and we will schedule an exam to determine if you have a TMJ disorder.

Is grinding my teeth normal?

While teeth grinding, also known as bruxism, is very common among adults, it can cause serious damage to your teeth and jaw joints. If you wake up with sore muscles or you have noticed that you clench or grind your teeth, we can make a night guard to help protect your teeth.