TMJ Care in Bellevue
Are you dealing with ongoing jaw discomfort, headaches, or difficulty opening your mouth wide? Maybe you hear a clicking or popping sound when you chew, talk, or yawn. These can all be symptoms of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, or TMD, which affect the muscles and joints connecting your jaw to your skull.
What Are Some Causes?
Many times, we find that patients have problems with their TMJ following dental work. Other causes include grinding their teeth in their sleep due to stress. This condition is called bruxism and refers to stressing the jaw by squeezing down; when this happens the teeth are touching constantly and pushing against each other. Another common cause of TMJ issue is arthritis, there is a joint that connects the jaw bone to the skull and that joint can get arthritic just like a knee or a shoulder or your spine.
What to Expect – First Visit
Our initial goal is to diagnose properly and devise an effective treatment plan to address the TMD.
Dr. Kara will examine the TMJ, the mouth muscles, and the muscles surrounding the area. We’ll also do a spinal and cervical check to see if these areas are contributing to the TMJ issue. We can also refer for X-rays if we need to. But often, patients have already had X-rays taken.
How We Help
Our holistic approach to addressing TMJ disorders considers your specific symptoms and needs. We offer a range of techniques, from instrument-assisted adjusting to laser therapy for inflammation reduction, which is particularly helpful for those with TMJ arthritis or for people also experiencing pain in the TMJ. Additionally, our intraoral muscular release aids in jaw relaxation, relieving the pressure caused by conditions such as bruxism.
Lifestyle Adjustments
Alleviating TMJ discomfort can include lifestyle adjustments, like frequently checking in on your jaw tension during computer work or resting your tongue on the roof of your mouth to keep your jaw relaxed. We can recommend more personalized exercises based on your individual consultation. We also may recommend that some patients see their dentist to get a night guard to protect their teeth from grinding while they sleep.
Book an Appointment
Ready to take control of your TMJ discomfort? Schedule your appointment today.