July 29, 2020 by

TMJ Therapy in Brighton

TMJ stands for Temporomandibular Joint and TMD stands for Temporomandibular Disorder. TMJ and TMD are both often used to describe the conditions affecting the muscles, nerves and joints of the jaw.

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Jaw pain is not normal.

If jaw pain is part of your everyday life, it may seem normal to you. The truth is, jaw pain is far from normal and may be a symptom of a condition called TMD from one or both of your TMJs. Those are the joints of your lower jaw, called TemporoMandibular Joints. When disease or misalignment occurs, the TMJ and surrounding area becomes inflamed — which is what causes pain and other symptoms.

What are the signs of TMJ disorder (TMD)?

Headaches
Earaches, tenderness around the ear
Face or jaw pain and tenderness
Muscle pain in your neck, shoulders and upper back
Ringing in the ears
Clicking, popping, or grinding jaw
Difficulty chewing, yawning or opening your mouth

How do we diagnose and treat TMJ disorder?

Diagnosis

Treatment of TMD begins with a comprehensive clinical examination, to check your face, jaw, bite, joints, and teeth. During your appointment, we will check for pain and tenderness and listen for clicking or popping when you open and close your mouth, swallow, or chew. If the disorder is diagnosed, a bite splint or night guard is often recommended as the initial treatment.

Treatment and Relief

Our treatment application involves bite splints, which are custom-created plastic mouthpieces, designed to fit over your upper and/or lower teeth. These type of devices prevent the grinding and clenching that often causes or worsens TMD. The splint also realigns the jaw, removing stress on the surrounding area.

Alternative Treatment Options

If a misaligned bite or missing teeth are the cause of your symptoms, we may recommend orthodontics or restorative dental work. If your bite is placing undue pressure on the TMJ’s, we may suggest reshaping individual teeth to redistribute the bite force evenly.

Contact us today

to schedule an initial consultation & exam.

Your consultation will include an examination of everything from your teeth, gums and soft tissues to the shape and condition of your bite. Generally, we want to see how your whole mouth looks and functions. Before we plan your treatment we want to know everything about the health and aesthetic of your smile, and, most importantly, what you want to achieve so we can help you get there.

Frequently Asked Questions

TMJ stands for Temporomandibular Joint. If this joint becomes misaligned or inflamed we refer to that as Temporomandibular Joint Disorder or TMD for short.

Signs or symptoms of TMD include pain and tenderness in or around the ear, the jaw joint, or the muscles of the jaw, face or temples. Other symptoms are problems opening or closing your mouth, and a clicking, popping, crunching or grinding noise when you chew, yawn or open your mouth. TMDs may be linked with neck pain and headaches.

TMD is caused by a combination of factors like jaw injuries and joint disease, such as arthritis. It’s believed that bruxism (tooth clenching or grinding) and head or neck muscle tension may make TMD symptoms worse. Stress is also a possible factor. However, it is not clear if stress causes TMD or is a result. Other things that may lead to TMDs are partial or full dentures that are not the right fit and certain habits such as fingernail biting and pen or pencil biting. As you can see, there are an array of different causes which makes TMD hard to diagnose. The best way to understand your jaw pain symptoms are to book an appointment.

There are many possible causes of headaches. No doctor will be able to determine the cause of your headache without a physical examination.

Most often, TMJ pain can be treated effectively with non-invasive treatments and therapies. In very rare circumstances, TMD may require surgery. Your health and happiness are both important to us. We will always present you with all of your options, work through the safest and easiest options first, and give you the final decision on what happens next.

Google Verified Patient Reviews

When you need dental care, this is a great place to go. The best in my own experience. Very professional without losing the friendly. Much care is taken to giving care. Many thanks!

Brighton Dental is just simply a “family.” Everyone is warm friendly and happy to see you upon your arrival and their laughter is heard all day long as they go through their day! Happily they will do everything they can to accommodate you whatever your needs are.Quite discreetly if you need! I am a 77yr old woman and just love going there and who ever thought a dental apt could be such a rewarding experience!! Doesn’t get any better! A truely positive totally updated dental practice for Brighton!Their expert Drs and staff one of a kind, I feel very proud to be a client. Will recommend them to anyone. Brighton is blessed to have them. Hopefully forever! Donna-Mae

My 3 year old had his very first dental appointment today with Holly and Dr. Saxena. Holly was absolutely AMAZING, she made him so comfortable and when he left he actually said “I had so much fun at the dentist”. Dr. Saxena was very calm and thorough during his exam. It also helped that they had new dim lighting in the room which made him feel like he wasn’t at a doctors office and not so “scary”. He’s already looking forward to his next appointment!

Great experience at Brighton Dental Centre! I transferred from a fancy Toronto dental centre with all the bells and whistles that constantly tried to upsell me... was all about the money. Was looking for a more down to earth approach and after checking out many businesses and their google reviews I landed in Brighton. Made the right choice! Have had two hygienists now and both were great. Nice atmosphere, no pushing, respectful of my choices... made me feel very comfortable. Highly recommend!

I had not been to a dentist in a few years thanks to Covid. This place was AMAZING! Extremely friendly, professional, compassionate and supportive. Plus the place is HUGE so made getting in to see someone very quick and painless. Highly Recommend.

When you need dental care, this is a great place to go. The best in my own experience. Very professional without losing the friendly. Much care is taken to giving care. Many thanks!

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Call 613-701-9751

Brighton Dental Centre

15 Main St, Brighton, ON, Canada, K0K 1H0

613-701-9751

contact@brightondentalcentre.ca

Monday: 8:30am - 6:00pm
Tuesday: 8:30am - 5:00pm
Wednesday: 8:30am - 5:00pm
Thursday: 8:30am - 6:00pm
Friday: 8:30am - 4:00pm
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed

Brighton Dental Centre 15 Main St,
Brighton, ON, Canada,
K0K 1H0

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