TMJ/Occlusion

Do you have headaches, neck aches, a jaw that clicks when you open your mouth, limited opening range of the jaw or ringing in the ears? It may be TMJ Syndrome. Some 60 million Americans have TMJS. It’s what happens when the muscles in the jaw and the temporomandibular joint are out of alignment or under stress, causing problems when chewing. In simpler terms, the mouth’s ligaments, muscles, bones and joint do not line up, thereby causing pain.

Symptoms of TMJS

• clicking, popping or grating sound when opening or closing the mouth

• headaches and/or dizziness

• tenderness in jaw muscles

• ear ache

• jaws that sometimes lock open when yawning or if the mouth is held open

• spasms or cramps in the jaw area

If you clench or grind your teeth (commonly referred to as bruxism) we can fabricate a custom mouth guard to protect your teeth. As you clench or grind you are putting extreme pressure on your teeth, which can cause cracks or breaks in teeth or restorations, or worn down teeth. The custom guard corrects your bite and protects your teeth from possible damage.