If you suffer from Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMD), the caring team at Orijin Integrated Dentistry can help by taking a full body approach to assessing and treating your pain.
For some people, oral pain comes as the result of tooth decay or gum disease. But for many others, jaw problems, in the form of TMD, can be the source of significant discomfort.
Temporomandibular joint pain or Temporomandibular Dysfunction (TMD) describes pain and dysfunction of the muscles of mastication; that is, the muscles that move the jaw.
Many dentists make it part of their practice to address issues relating to headaches, jaw pain and misalignment. Sometimes, a “bad bite”, or what is technically referred to as malocclusion, can contribute to TMD (Temporomandibular Joint Disorder).
In other words, when your teeth are misaligned, they may put an added strain on the head and neck muscles, on the joints, and on the teeth themselves, leading to TMD.
When your muscles are overloaded, they compensate by constantly contracting. These contractions can lead to muscle spasm, pain, and soreness. This can result in a headache and/or jaw pain – pounding or crushing pain. It can also lead to neck and back issues, as your body tries to compensate.
So, how do you know if you have a headache as a result of a bad bite, or if you’re experiencing some other problem, such as sleep issues or arthritis?
By evaluating your pain in the context of whole body health, we’ll do our best to determine the cause of your symptoms and treat your pain accordingly. Or, we'll work with your other healthcare provider to get you the most appropriate care for the condition in question.
Headaches and jaw pain can be caused by something simple, or by something complex. Understanding the cause will help guide the treatment.
If you are diagnosed with a "bad bite" or TMJ/TMD, we often start treatment by fitting you with a temporary stabilization appliance.
This can help determine the cause and prognosis of your issues. Once you have a diagnosis, we can begin to correct the cause in the most conservative way possible.
This sometimes means we need to collaborate with your team of healthcare providers. An open mind allows us to better identify the origin of the problem…and sometimes it is not dental.
Ultimately, identifying cause is the most important step!
Looking for a dentist in Calgary? All of our comprehensive services are provided by General Dentists. We look forward to meeting you!
All services provided by general dentists: Dr. Young
