When you wake up in the morning, do you feel tightness and pain in your jaw? TMJ is a common issue that affects the jaw muscles and can increase the risk of headaches, teeth grinding, teeth clenching, and more. It’s essential that you talk to our team right away to learn more about TMJ treatment.
At Schaumburg Tooth Doctor, we have experience helping patients with mouth guards for temporomandibular joint disorders, commonly known as TMD or TMJ disorders.
TMJ is the acronym for the “temporomandibular joint” disorder, which is the joint where the jaw bone connects to the skull. When an injury or damage affects this joint, it can result in discomfort and pain.
If you have TMJ disorder, then you might be experiencing some of these symptoms:
You might only have one or two of these TMJ disorder symptoms. Or, some patients with severe TMJ have multiple symptoms from the list.
There’s no reason to delay a conversation with a dentist about TMJ treatment. Even if your symptoms are mild, it’s a good idea to learn about your treatment options so you can manage the condition in the earliest stages.
Untreated TMJ not only causes pain and discomfort, but some patients experience dental complications. For example, grinding and clenching your teeth while you are sleeping puts unnecessary pressure on your teeth. So, there is an increased risk of tooth cracking or chips, which requires restorative dental treatments.
These problems are easy to avoid by wearing a custom-fit mouthguard at night.
At Schaumburg Tooth Doctor, we can fit you for a customized mouth guard that protects your teeth and relaxes your jaw while you are sleeping. Schedule a consultation to learn more about this simple and effective TMJ treatment.
A custom-fit TMJ mouth guard separates your upper and lower teeth while you are sleeping. Additionally, the plastic dental appliance can absorb the pressure to avoid damage to your teeth.
There is a little bit of an adjustment when you start wearing a TMJ mouth guard at night. But most patients adapt quickly and prefer wearing the mouth guard because of the way their jaw relaxes while they are sleeping.
We take a mold of your teeth, then fabricate a custom-fit mouth guard using different types of materials. Most mouthguards are made with plastic acrylic, vinyl, acetate, or rubber.
Most people with TMJ grind and clench their teeth while they are sleeping. A custom-fit mouth guard helps to loosen the jaw and relax the muscles to stop these symptoms.