TMJ Treatment Options

Pain...
Pain is something we can all relate to. Earaches, headaches, backaches, sore neck, we all have been there. When people start to suffer chronic pain, it has a significant impact in their lives: it takes a lot of energy to try and function when you are in chronic pain. Surprisingly, a large portion of the painful symptoms experienced by patients in the cervical and cranial regions comes from how teeth munch together.

When the teeth are misaligned, they fail to provide the necessary support for the muscles in the face and head needed for chewing, swallowing and talking. These muscles are than forced into a strained position, resulting in pain throughout the face, head, shoulder, neck and back.

It is not uncommon for a patient to develop symptoms of TMJ/TMD following orthodontics, or after a dental procedure such as a crown, or a filling. Internal trauma can be another cause, such as bruxism (grinding the teeth) and clenching (jaw tightening). This continuous hammering on the temporomandibular joint can change its homeostatic alignment; further muscle involvement causes inflammation of the membranes surrounding the joint.

When a bite is not balanced there is a ripple effect on the body, including headache, migraines, neck ache, postural changes, earache, ringing in the ears, dizziness, clicking of the jaw joints, grinding an chipping of the teeth, recession of the gum tissue, jaw ache, facial pain, pain behind the eyes, and even sleep disorders such as snoring or sleep apnea.

At Enchanted Smiles we can provide you with comprehensive diagnostic and treatment options at nationally recognized standards of care. If TMD is identified, our use of latest technology and techniques, as well as our collaboration with a certified laboratory in California specialized in neuromuscular orthotics ensures a quality of treatment that is unique in Topeka and surrounding areas.

For more TMJ or TMD treatment details or to schedule an appointment, please call Dr. Stefania Caracioni in Topeka, KS at 785-246-6300.

Enchanted Smiles Dentistry
Dr. Stefania Caracioni, DDS
2949 SW Wanamaker Drive
Topeka, KS 66614