Your temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is what connects your lower jaw to your skull, and it is susceptible to temporomandibular disorder (TMD), which has symptoms that range from teeth grinding and trouble chewing to headaches and pain when opening or closing your mouth. Causing both pain and damage to your teeth, TMD should not be ignored. If you’re experiencing pain or trouble chewing, Dr. Geetika Chawla can treat your disorder and help alleviate your pain at our office in Vancouver, WA.
The disorder is often associated with stress and the unconscious clenching of the jaw or grinding of the teeth. After time, these activities can cause pain, lock jaw, headaches or ear pain and popping or clicking sounds when opening your mouth.
Teeth grinding is an especially worrisome activity associated with TMD because it can lead to more than just problems with your TMJ. If grinding is not addressed, the enamel of your teeth may wear to the point that your dentin is exposed, increasing sensitivity to heat, cold and decay.
Dr. Chawla can work with you to relieve your symptoms at Radiance Dental with pain relievers, hot and cold compresses and night guards to cut down on grinding. While surgery can be required in more severe cases, usually changing the way you use your jaw muscles is enough.
To schedule an appointment, call (360) 369-6420. For more information, visitwww.radiancedentalnw.com.