A few years ago, I started thinking carefully about what I could do to improve my smile. I had lived with crooked, yellowed teeth for most of my adult life, and honestly, I just wanted to feel beautiful. I started thinking about working with a cosmetic dentist, and before I knew it, I was in an office getting a complimentary consultation. I learned about a variety of different procedures that could improve my look, and it was really fun. I wanted to create a blog all about making smiles more beautiful, which is why I made this website. Check out this blog for great information about dentistry.
If you have jaw pain, you may have a condition called TMD (temporomandibular joint disorder). This condition is often erroneously called TMJ, which is short for temporormandibular joint, which is your jaw joint. Problems with your jaw, your TMJ, or the surrounding facial muscles that control your TMJ can cause TMD. Another cause of TMD is malocclusion, which is a fancy dental word for the misalignment of teeth that causes a bad bite. Here's what can be done if you have TMD.
Is your jaw joint in the right place?
The first thing to do is determine whether or not your TMJ is properly aligned. There's a disc in between the socket and ball of the jaw joint. If one or both of these discs are dislocated, it could cause misalignment of the jaw joint. Other possible causes of a misaligned TMJ include excessive pressure from clenching your teeth and joint conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. A dentist can determine if your TMJ is in the right place. If it isn't, the dentist can fit you with a dental orthopedic appliance to reposition your jaw. One example of this type of device uses rubber bands to force your jaw into a better position.
Are your teeth properly aligned?
If your TMJ is healthy and aligned properly, and you continue to feel jaw pain, the problem may be a misalignment of your teeth. Teeth are supposed to be aligned so your food can be chewed properly. Go ahead and bite down and clench your jaw. Do you feel that some teeth seem to be in the way? This would cause your other teeth to have too much space to properly chew food, and this results in your subconsciously forcing your jaw joint out of alignment to overcompensate so your food can be chewed. A similar but different issue could be your teeth aligning properly but the jaw having to be forced to make the alignment. Either way, a bad bite can be corrected with braces.
Yes, braces. But that doesn't mean you need to have the proverbial "metal mouth" as an adult. There are clear devices such as adult invisalign braces that are used to effectively align misaligned teeth. They are similar to retainers and perfect for those who want to perfect their bite without being obvious. Speak with your dentist or an orthodontist so an appropriate treatment plan can be determined based on your TMJ or malocclusion.
Share15 November 2016
