Your 98011 Dentist Can Fix Your TMJ Pain

Do suffer from frequent headaches? Does your jaw pop or make clicking noises when you eat or chew? Do you experience chronic neck or shoulder pain? Did you know that these all could be signs of TMJ issues? Your 98011 dentist can help fix your TMJ pain.

What is TMJ?

Your temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the joint that connects the jaw to the temporal bones of the skull and allows you to open and close your mouth. This is the most complex joint in your body and it’s the only joint that allows back and forth, up and down, and side to side movement. When your jaw joint is not functioning properly it can cause your joint to deteriorate and a host of symptoms such as:

• Painful headaches similar to migraines
• Neck, shoulder and jaw pain
• Clicking or popping sounds when you open and close your mouth
• Jaw locking open or closed

There are many different factors that can contribute to TMJ issues. A misaligned bite, for example can cause your jaw to compensate in one direction or another and lead to TMJ. Clenching or grinding your teeth at night can cause undo stress to your jaw joint, not to mention also cause wear and fractures to your teeth.

How is TMJ Treated?

At Annigan Dental, Dr. Henry Hsue and his team are prepared to help you with TMJ. The first step is an initial consultation with Dr. Hsue where he will examine your teeth an your bite, and possibly take x-rays of your jaw joint. He will then determine the correct treatment to help you alleviate your TMJ. Many patients benefit from wearing an oral appliance or night guard when they sleep to help jaw muscles relax and also protect their teeth from damage and wear.

Sometimes correcting a misaligned bite with orthodontics or Invisalign can help to alleviate TMJ pain. Did you know that when your teeth are crooked or overlap, it could also be affecting the health of your jaw joint? This is because your jaw joint is compensating for the misalignment, which can eventually cause it to deteriorate.

Dr. Hsue has hundreds of hours of advanced training and he’s been advising patients on how to alleviate TMJ for many years now. He’s prepared to help you find answers and alleviate your pain. TMJ is often misdiagnosed or mistaken for other health issues. If you find yourself suffering from chronic neck or shoulder pain, or waking up in the morning with headaches it would benefit you to schedule a consultation with Dr. Hsue. If you’re in need of TMJ treatment in Bothell, WA contact Annigan Dental today to learn how we can help you.