From 20%–40% of Americans are believed to suffer from these symptoms or others such as:
- facial pain
- neck pain
- pain in front of and around the ear
- jaw clicking, grinding or popping
- dizziness
- an uncomfortable bite
If you contend with any of these conditions, a temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD) might be the cause. The TMJ & Facial Pain Treatment Center diagnoses and treats TMJD and facial pain for patients from Wheaton (IL).
Wheaton (IL): What Is a TMJD?
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) connects your lower jaw, the mandible, to the bone at the side of your head, the temporal bone. To locate the joints, place your fingers just in front of your ears and then open your mouth – you’ll feel the joints moving. You’ll note how flexible they are. This allows your mouth to do things such as talk, chew and yawn.
When this joint is injured or damaged, it can develop into a temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD) that can cause pain and difficult joint function.
Wheaton (IL): What Causes TMJD?
TMJD can result from two causes: macro trauma and micro trauma.
Macro trauma can include an injury to the head, face or jaw and result in TMJD either right away or years later.
Micro trauma can involve bruxism (grinding) or clenching of teeth as the primary cause of TMJD or a secondary cause related to another problem such as obstructive sleep apnea.
Wheaton (IL): Accurate TMJD Diagnosis
We often see Wheaton TMJ patients who have been referred by a dentist, physician or specialist. We also attend to those who either self-diagnose a TMJ problem or seek a definitive diagnosis after visiting other healthcare professionals.
At TMJ & Facial Pain Treatment Center, your path to TMJ pain relief will begin by understanding the origins of your TMJ-related discomfort. We use joint-specific examination and testing, including MRI imaging, to ensure an accurate diagnosis and eliminate other possibilities that could be suggesting themselves as pain sources.
Additional diagnostic testing includes extensive muscle examination of the head and neck, orthopedic load testing of the joint and Doppler ultrasound. Through these thorough methods, we can specify and treat a TMJ-related condition with success.
You will leave your initial appointment knowing your concerns have been carefully addressed and assessed. We provide a 99% success rate in alleviating TMJ-related discomfort through the right combination of treatments for each patient.
- Splint therapy
- Medications or pain relievers
- Dietary changes (to rest the jaw muscles)
- Counseling or relaxation techniques
- Behavior changes (to stop or reduce teeth clenching)
- Physical therapy or posture training
- Balancing of the teeth’s biting surfaces
- Bedtime splint
Wheaton (IL): Multi-Disciplined Treatment of TMJD
After thoroughly diagnosing TMJD, we might determine that pain relief will benefit from additional specialization. In this case, we will team with other physicians from our established network for optimal treatment of differential diagnoses.
We plan accurate treatment by incorporating a medical model and a multidisciplinary approach as needed. Our partners in pain relief include radiologists; ear, nose and throat physicians; neurologists; and physical therapists.
Wheaton (IL): Always Your Advocates in TMJD Pain Relief
In addition to supporting you with accurate TMJ diagnosis and treatment, we are here to help you become even more knowledgeable about TMJD and how you can achieve further pain relief on your own.
For example, the following are but a few ways you can continue restoring comfort, function and strength to your temporomandibular joints.
Relaxed-jaw exercise
1 Bring your lips lightly together. Your teeth will be slightly apart.
2 Breathe nasally. This will relax the jaw muscle.
One approach is the relaxed-jaw exercise. With the lips lightly together, the teeth are slightly apart. Breath nasally – this will help relax the jaw muscle.
Resisted opening of the mouth
1 Place your thumb under your chin.
2 Open your mouth slowly and push gently against your chin for resistance.
3 Hold for three to six seconds and then close your mouth slowly.
4 Repeat 10 times.
Side-to-side jaw movement
1 Put a quarter-inch object (e.g. stacked tongue depressor) between your top and bottom front teeth.
2 Slowly move your jaw from side to side.
3 Hold for 2–3 seconds at the end of each movement.
4 Repeat 10 times on each side.
Wheaton (IL): Your “TMJ Specialist Near Me”
If you have TMJ symptoms, you don’t have to continue living with them and allowing them to interfere with your quality of life. You can find out exactly what is causing them and how you can achieve enduring comfort and relief from TMJ pain. Contact us at (630) 734-0909 today to speak with a specialist for Wheaton (IL) patients.
We always look to offer even greater support and convenience for our Wheaton patients. In our effort to serve you, we have recently welcomed Dr. Anna Kolencherry as a new associate to our team. We also have expanded our hours at our Burr Ridge location from 2pm–5pm to 12pm–5pm on Thursdays.