Ideally, your teeth will bite together correctly when you close your jaws. The way your teeth meet together is called dental occlusion. If your teeth don’t bite together properly, it can cause problems affecting your teeth, gums and especially your jaw joints and the muscles that move them. Your jaw joints are called temporomandibular joints, and if these joints cannot work smoothly, it can cause joint pain, also called temporomandibular dysfunction.
What are the Symptoms of Jaw Joint Problems?
The symptoms caused by temporomandibular dysfunction in Newcastle are wide-ranging. If your jaws aren’t in the right position, your facial muscles that operate your jaw must work harder and will become tired more quickly.
You may notice it becomes painful to open your mouth or that you cannot open your jaw very wide or move it from side to side as your range of motion is restricted. Another symptom is noticing your jaw joints make a grating or popping sound whenever you try to open your mouth. You may have more frequent headaches and especially first thing in the morning, or develop earache. Some people develop tinnitus or ringing in their ears. The pain can extend beyond your face, affecting your neck and shoulders. You might wake up with painful teeth because of clenching and grinding, a largely nocturnal habit called bruxism.
How Can I Tell If I Have Problems with My Jaw Joints?
Many people have teeth that don’t fit together accurately but don’t have any symptoms as they adjust to a less than perfect bite. Sometimes they may notice symptoms begin when they feel stressed, tired or worried, but eventually, they go away without treatment. You might notice that your teeth and gums are affected instead of headaches or a painful jaw.
Signs include noticing your teeth are flattened and worn or that they begin to break or chip because of bruxism in Clarington. When your teeth become worn, they may start to feel more sensitive to temperature changes, so eating and drinking anything hot or cold could become uncomfortable. Even breathing in on a cold day may make your teeth twinge. Your teeth might start to ache for no reason or could even start to feel loose. If you have some missing teeth at the back of your mouth, your bite could become unbalanced, placing more pressure on your remaining teeth.
Diagnosing and Treating Jaw or Bite Problems
If you recognize any of these signs, it is worth seeing our dentist in Courtice. We can gently examine your teeth and jaws to determine the cause of any discomfort and pain. The treatment provided might be multi-faceted, involving other specialists to resolve the issue. If needed, we will liaise with professionals like chiropractors, craniomandibular specialists and other doctors. For example, you might benefit from choosing softer foods that place less stress on your jaw joints or from physiotherapy or massage therapy to relieve painful facial muscles. If your teeth don’t bite together correctly, we may recommend treatments to adjust their biting or occlusal surfaces.
Various dental appliances could help, such as a night guard or night splint to prevent clenching and grinding during sleep. Other appliances can help ensure your teeth meet together evenly so your jaw and facial muscles can relax. If you are missing teeth, restoring them will help ensure your temporomandibular joints are supported properly on both sides of your jaws. Sometimes, something as straightforward as relaxation therapy can be helpful and especially if your life is particularly stressful right now. Being more aware of stressful situations can mean you are more able to control feelings of tension.