Categories: TMJ

Your Jaw Pain May Be Indicative Of A Disorder

Everyone knows that when it comes to your oral health, some of the biggest concerns out there consist of decay, infection, and ultimately tooth loss. But did you know that a severe bite dysfunction can arise from something as simple as grinding your teeth at night? What’s more, your overall function is impacted as well as your oral health. In today’s blog, your Pella, IA dentist will take a look at what bruxism does to your smile, as well as ways we can help you recover from TMJ disorder.

Aggressing Popping in the Jaw

Have you ever woken up from a night of rest to a sore jaw? You may attribute this notion to sleeping the wrong way or even talking in your sleep, but in reality, it arises from grinding your teeth at night. If this is allowed to continue, you can develop even bigger concerns that threaten the health of your smile as well as its function, including TMJ disorder. Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder consists of one or both of your TMJ’s in which your lower jaw hinges becoming misaligned, causing displacement that greatly impacts your function. Because these joints are misaligned, you may experience a significant popping or clicking in your jaw that causes pain and discomfort as your bite attempts to correct itself. If left without proper treatment or care, you can endure severe damage to the joints and tissues affected. If you feel that this phenomenon may be occurring to you, make sure to reach out and contact your dentist as soon as possible to learn your options.

Potential Causes

While TMJ disorder is a problematic dysfunction, it does not arise overnight. In fact, one of the biggest contributors to this experience includes chronic teeth-grinding, also known as bruxism. Bruxism occurs when an individual uncontrollable rubs the surfaces of their teeth together as the lower mandible moves from side-to-side. People who experience this often cannot control the pressure or duration of clenching oral structures, and a significant amount of damage can occur over time if it is not properly treated. These concerns include wearing down the surface of a tooth and leaving room for infection, and should be addressed as soon as you realize it is a problem. For more information, contact our team today.

What is the Solution?

While joint dysfunction can greatly impact your oral health, there are steps you can take to prevent further damage. To protect your structures, your dentist may create a custom appliance such as a mouthguard to combat harm. We can also construct a highly-specialized sling appliance in order to help guide your jaw back into its joints in a comfortable manner.