subject: Lewisburg PA TMJ Relief [print this page] Lewisburg PA TMJ Relief Lewisburg PA TMJ Relief
I have a patient from Williamsport, PA who clenches her teeth. Because of it she has developed all the classic TMJ symptoms chronic headaches, neck and shoulder pain, tingly parts of her face, popping and cracking (it sounds like a gun shot sometimes when she yawns) and she often has trouble sleeping because of the pain in her jaw. There have been times in my chair when her mouth has simply locked open. She is also developing tooth sensitivity because of abfraction, or enamel loss at the gum line not caused by caries or gum disease. She has craze lines in her teeth that could lead to cracking, and her teeth are worn smooth and flat.
We have discussed the need for neuromuscular dental treatment and an orthotic to help her find relief from TMJ pain and to protect her teeth. In the meantime, she is wearing a night guard to keep her from grinding at night and damaging her teeth irreparably. She feels better wearing the night guard, and says she feels more comfortable knowing she isn't breaking her teeth in her sleep, but she also knows that to get rid of her headaches and get her jaw back where it should be, she needs further work.
What Is Bruxism?
Bruxism comes from the Greek word brygms, which means, " gnashing of teeth." That is exactly what the dental condition Bruxism is grinding, gnashing and clenching your teeth. Many people grind their teeth or clench without even knowing they are doing it and often, the only way a person discovers bruxism is when serious pain or damage results or when a partner is disturbed by the nighttime noise of grinding. The primary symptoms of bruxism are:
Grinding or clenching of teeth
Tooth sensitivity
Jaw pain
Headache and facial pain
Worn, chipped, breaking teeth
Flattened tooth surfaces
Exposure of tooth layers and loss of enamel
Earache from jaw muscle tension and contraction
A scalloped tongue or irregular tongue edges
Damaged mouth tissue
If you notice any of these symptoms and you live in the Lewisburg or Williamsport area, please give me a call. It could save your teeth!
How can you Help Lewisburg TMJ and Bruxism Patients?
We use the principles of neuromuscular dentistry to help our patients find relief from pain and protect their teeth. Neuromuscular dentistry focuses on the relationship between your jaw position, bite and teeth. Bruxism causes (or is sometimes caused by) misalignment and disharmony in the delicate mechanisms of your jaw. If we do discover that you have TMJ resulting from bruxism or any other cause, we will measure the relaxed position of your head and neck muscles and then gently and non-surgically reposition your jaw, usually with an orthotic.
To find out more about neuromuscular dentistry, TMJ syndrome, tooth grinding and clenching, and to discover if our Lewisburg dentistry can help you, call Dr. Larry Winans at 570-524-4454 or visit www.drwinans.com.
