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Causes for TMJ Dysfunction
Have you endured years of chronic jaw, face, or head pain? Maybe you may have consulted your family physician about your pain problems. Maybe you have been referred to an ENT specialist, neurologist, or psychiatrist. Maybe, after many tests, you heard that you have to "learn to live with your pain." Maybe you have attempted all drug therapies and your pain has not gone away. Maybe you may have even been told to see your dentist because you have a "bad bite."
 If any of these possibilities pertain to your condition, you're not alone. 2 out of 10 people suffer with frequent headaches, migraines, popping jaw joints, stiff neck, back pain, dizziness, earaches, and other related problems. Not every medical doctor or dentist can recognize and treat such dysfunctions. Only specially trained and qualified dentists can help you with such problems that may be related to your TMJ (TemporoMandibular Joint).
Here is a simple self-test that you can do to help get some insight into your chronic pain. Place your index finger tip into and in front of your ear. Open and close your mouth. If it hurts, or pops, or creaks - they are not functioning properly!
If it does not hurt, do NOT dismiss a jaw joint problem. Your pain issues may actually be more chronic. Migraine patients normally have no abnormal joint sounds or pain. These same patients, however, suffer with degenerated jaw joints that remain undiagnosed by their dentist and never evaluated by their physician. Only a skilled craniofacial TMJ pain expert, such as Dr. John Halmaghi, can properly evaluate you for this problem.
What causes TMJ dysfunction?
Genetics (overbite, poor bite, abnormal jaw position) and stress are the most common factors that lead to clenching and bruxing (grinding of the teeth). This eventually leads to tight shoulders, clenched jaws, and other muscle contractions. Genetics, anxiety and frustrations can compress the jaw joints to the point that the “brake pad,” or joint disc, wears out. As the disc becomes thinner, pain begins!
 As the disc wears out, it can become dislocated and
cause a popping and clicking sound when you eat, talk, drink, yawn, etc. After many years, arthritic changes cause a one-way degenerative process that leads to
more pain not only in the joints themselves, but through muscles spasms in other parts of the body. The internal stress further saps the body and spirit of energy.
If you suffer with TMJ problems, it is necessary to receive a proper diagnosis in order to plan the appropriate treatment. Here at Comfort Dental, we stand alone in our facial pain treatments due to our innovative diagnostic and unique treatment methods. There are less than a handful of skilled headache/TMJ experts in the entire world. We caution readers to be skeptical of many practitioners who claim to be able to treat these issues. The complexity involved in these treatments eliminate many novice practitioners.
To learn more about TMJ Migraine Headache Pain Relief visit Dr. John Halmaghi at:
Migraine Headache Pain
TMJ Clinic
Neuromuscular Dentistry - Bite Occlusion Analysis
Neuromuscular Dentistry is the science of dentistry that embodies accepted scientific principles of patho-physiology, anatomy, form and function. Dr. Halmaghi objectively evaluates the complex relationship between teeth, temporomandibular joints and the masticatory muscles in order to achieve an occlusion that is based on the optimal relationship between the mandible and the skull — Neuromuscular Occlusion. The goal is to relax the muscles controlling jaw position to establish a true physiological rest position upon which treatment considerations are based.
Other Considerations for necessary TMJ Treatment
Other possible causes may be due to crowding of teeth or other malocclusions, especially ones caused by deep overbites (top teeth sticking out too far over the lower teeth). A small jaw can cause compression of the joint since the muscles tend to pull the deficient, weak mandible into the joint space causing compression. The same may be true if you have had orthodontic work in the past, especially if your premolars were extracted, or if you wore a headgear. Sometimes the front teeth may drift backwards due to orthodontic pressures - causing compression of the jaw joint.
The jaw joint is so intimately close to the brain that over 38% of nerve impulses to the rest of your body may be affected if compression is taking place. Your entire nervous system can become unbalanced, leading to many other health problems. Headaches, sinus congestion, ear problems, blurry vision, irritability, and poor sleep are only a few of the consequences of jaw imbalances.
Besides pain, one of the biggest problems you may be experiencing is lack of proper sleep. Patients that have jaw joint compression cannot receive adequate sleep. Uninterrupted sleep is the most important aspect of maintaining a healthy body. You should be getting a minimum of 8 hours of sleep every night. If you wake up during the night, your body is letting you know that you are not sleeping. The most common reason is a TMJ problem. Clenching, grinding, and jaw compression wakes you up. The problem can also be due to sleep apnea, which may be caused by a large tongue or snoring. A large tongue can block your airway thereby waking you up. Snoring, likewise, may be interrupting your sleep. All of these problems lead to a vicious cycle that does not allow your nervous system to rest and heal your body. It depletes your gas tank, instead of refueling it. Lack of sleep leads to tiredness, irritability, poor work performance, and health problems.
Effective Migraine Treatment
If you suffer from any of these problems you need immediate help. The real answer is to find a position of the lower jaw that brings your jaw muscles into balanced harmony, without overloading and damaging the joint and pressing the bones of the skull.
At our office we are specially trained and experienced in measuring joint damage and muscular activity. More importantly, we know how to properly treat your condition and get you back to health and comfort.
We also like to do a complete nutritional analysis, sleep study, and work closely with your physician to bring you back to proper health. The cooperation of your health care providers will help us achieve a balance between mind, body, and chemistry to lead to a healthier, happier and more productive life.
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