TMJ DISORDER, BRUXISM, AND DENTAL FUNCTION
When it comes to maintaining how well your bite functions, keeping your teeth clean and healthy may not always be enough. Keeping them strong and properly aligned, and maintaining the health and function of your jaw’s components, are also essential. TMJ disorder and bruxism describe two different, but often closely related, issues that affect your jaw function and the integrity of your oral health.
TMJ Disorder
TMJ disorder, short for temporomandibular joint disorder, can include a number of different issues that affect your jaw joints. Located at the two points where your mandible connects to your skull, TMJs move together to allow your jaw to open, close, and revolve as needed when you bite, chew, and speak. When your bite is not aligned properly, such as if your teeth are crooked or your jawbone is injured/uneven, the joints can become overly-stressed as they try to keep up with each other. The resulting stress can lead to a TMJ disorder, which can lead to:
- Recurring headaches and migraines
- Chronic tinnitus (pain and/or ringing in one or both of your ears)
- Jaw and facial muscle soreness
- A popping sensation when you open and close your jaw
To treat TMJ disorder, many patients benefit from a custom-designed mouthguard that can be worn at night, and helps keep your jaw and TMJs positioned comfortably. To realign crooked teeth, we might also recommend one of our cosmetic braces systems, such as Invisalign, ClearCorrect, or Six Month Smiles. In some cases, Dr. Cornelius can even help alleviate TMJ inflammation and pain using a carefully-administered application of BOTOX.
Bruxism
Bruxism is the clinical name for involuntary teeth grinding, and typically only applies to patients who constantly grind their teeth (often at night). It does not necessarily describe the occasional grinding of your teeth due to stress, anger, pain, or other temporary factors. The consistent grinding can cause your teeth to become worn down, and place excessive stress on your jaw joints and lead to/exacerbate TMJ disorder. If your teeth are not significantly damaged, or after a worn or cracked tooth is restored, Dr. Cornelius may help you alleviate bruxism with an oral appliance that protects your teeth from touching each other.
Bruxism
Occlusal Appliance for Tooth Wear (Nightguard)
Improve Your Bite’s Function with Bruxism/TMJ Treatment
If your bite feels off, your jaw pops when you open/close it, or you constantly grind your teeth, then find out how bruxism and/or TMJ treatment can improve your bite’s function. To schedule a consultation, call Dr. Cornelius’ office in Keller, TX, at 817-431-4200. We proudly the serve the residents of Keller, Roanoke, Trophy Club, Westlake, Southlake, North Richland Hills, and all surrounding communities.