Do you suffer from chronic migraines or headaches? Sore or aching neck muscles? Pain or tenderness around your jaw joint? Do you have constant aching teeth? Do you need to see your chiropractor or physiotherapist regularly because of your head and neck pain?
Orofacial pain are highly prevalent and debilitating condition involving the head and neck region. Some patients might have constant toothache that are not decayed or infected. Our dentists will thoroughly examine your teeth, gums, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and facial muscles to identify the cause of problem. X-rays, temperature or pressure test might also be required to provide the correct diagnoses.
One of the most common orofacial pain is called TMJ Disorders ( TMD), which affect about 7 in 10 people some time in their lives. It is not always easy to identify the single cause of a TMD because different factors might contribute to some degree of the disorder.
Symptoms of TMD:
- Clenching or grinding leading to wearing of teeth
- Toothache
- Headaches, migraines, neck and shoulder muscles pain
- Limited jaw movement
- Locked jaw
- Clicking or grating noises when open or close mouth
- Earache
Some of the factors that aggravate include:
- Clenching or grinding
- Missing teeth
- Emotional or physical stress
- Habits
- Injuries of the TMJ: fractures or dislocation
- Arthritis
- Hypermobility of joints
If our dentists suspect that you have a TMD issue, we might recommend multiple methods to help with the symptoms. For example, we might suggest having a custom made occlusal splint to take the pressure off your TMJ and protect your teeth. In addition, our dentists will go through various relaxation methods and exercises to help prevent excessive and extreme jaw movement, such as chewing hard food. In some cases, we may refer you to a physiotherapist for massage and muscle stretching.
If symptoms and pain are severe, we may refer you to a specialist. Surgery is rarely required.