Category: TMJ

Do you wake up with a stiff or sore jaw? The human mouth relies upon balance for its lasting stability, and if your jaw is subjected to too much side-to-side movement, you may experience discomfort at the connection to the side of your head. This area is known as the temporomandibular joint, and it can… Continue reading Treating Your Uncomfortable Jaw Tightness

Do you experience orofacial pain? Perhaps you suffer with frequent headaches and your face (particularly near where the jaw connects to the skull) feels tender and strained. Stress and TMJ disorder can produce similar symptoms such as orofacial pain but stress itself can contribute to TMJ disorder if a person responds to stress and anxiety… Continue reading How do I know if my symptoms are caused by stress or TMJ?

Patients who have been experiencing symptoms of a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder and those who have been diagnosed with the condition often have many questions about the causes of TMJ disorders and how they are treated. Here are some of the most common questions we hear from our patients. What causes TMJ disorder? The jaw… Continue reading TMJ FAQs

Patients may be tempted to disregard oral health symptoms, such as discomfort or clicking or popping noises from the jaw, for any number of reasons. They may have anxiety about getting dental treatment or concerns that such treatment will be unaffordable. However, ignoring these issues may be setting the stage for the problem to become… Continue reading Why Oral Health Symptoms Shouldn’t Be Ignored

Have you kept your wisdom teeth? If so, you might be noticing symptoms like orofacial pain, crowding of your teeth, and popping or clicking sensations when you move your mouth. Retaining wisdom teeth is one common cause of TMJ disorder. When wisdom teeth erupt, they normally cause occlusal issues because there is not enough room… Continue reading Can wisdom teeth cause TMJ disorder?

A malfunctioning jaw that causes a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder is often associated with a number of classic symptoms, the most common of which is jaw pain. Other signs of a TMJ disorder may include clicking, popping or locking of the jaw joint, facial pain or earache or difficulty chewing. Patients who are experiencing such… Continue reading Most Common Symptoms of TMJ Disorder

Bruxism and TMJ disorder may be related in some cases, but the two conditions are distinct from each other. Bruxism specifically refers to a pattern of grinding or clenching the teeth, often unconsciously. You may feel some strain in your jaw or notice unusual wear and tear on your teeth due to bruxism. TMJ disorder,… Continue reading Bruxism and TMJ Disorder: What is the difference?

A temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder can cause frequent headaches. For example, if the muscles that move the jaw are strained due to clenching or grinding the teeth, or even excessive pressure applied to those muscles if other components of the jaw aren’t moving properly. Unfortunately, TMJ disorder headaches are often misdiagnosed as tension headaches, so… Continue reading Can TMJ disorder cause frequent headaches?

The jaw, also known as the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), consists of a number of structures, including bones, muscles and tendons, that must work together precisely to facilitate the many types of movements that your jaw may make. When even one of those components is off-kilter, you can develop a painful TMJ disorder that can cause… Continue reading Will TMJ disorder resolve on its own?

If you have felt stressed out lately and noticed that your jaw has been hurting at the same time, those two issues can very well be related. The muscles involved in your temporomandibular joint (TMJ) are susceptible to the negative effects of stress, like resulting muscle tension or clenching of the jaw, and can contribute… Continue reading Will stress exacerbate TMJ disorder?