TMJ Treatment Lakewood

Find Relief From Headaches and Jaw Pain

Whenever you speak, eat, or yawn, you rely on your temporomandibular joints (TMJs) to move your jaw. Unfortunately, these important joints are prone to becoming injured or overworked, leading to significant discomfort. Fortunately, the dentists at Lakewood Complete Dentistry can diagnose the problem and figure out the best way to help you find the relief you deserve. If you think you may need TMJ treatment in Lakewood, give us a call today to schedule an appointment.

Why Choose Lakewood Complete Dentistry for TMJ Treatment?

  • Wide Variety of Treatment Options Available
  • Knowledgeable, Caring Dental Experts
  • State-of-the-Art Diagnostic Technology

What is TMJ Disorder?

Concerned woman rubbing her jaw in pain

A TMJ disorder is a condition that affects your jaw joints. It can have a number of possible causes, including a sudden blow to the face, a misaligned bite, or frequent grinding and clenching of the teeth (also known as bruxism). Untreated TMJ disorders are known to cause chronic face and jaw pain, and they can easily grow worse over time if they’re ignored for too long.  

Symptoms of TMJ Disorder

Male dental patient looking to side and smiling

You may have a TMJ disorder if any of the following symptoms sound familiar:

  • You are experiencing chronic or recurring pain in your jaw.
  • You often suffer from headaches and migraines.
  • You hear a clicking or popping sound when you move your jaw.
  • You have had a harder time chewing your food recently.
  • Your jaw sometimes gets stuck in an open or closed position.
  • You have noticed changes in your bite.

Types of TMJ Treatment

To treat a TMJ disorder, our team will first need to complete a thorough examination of your mouth and jaw. After learning more about your situation, we can devise a treatment plan that addresses the underlying cause of your pain. Here are some of the ways we can help our patients find relief from TMJ-related discomfort:

Occlusal Splint

Close-up of occlusal splint for TMJ disorder

An occlusal splint is a simple oral appliance that can be used to slightly adjust your lower jaw to help it find a better resting position. This takes some of the pressure off the TMJs so that they can rest and recover. On top of that, an occlusal splint can also prevent the upper and lower rows of teeth from making direct contact with each other. As a result, they can provide protection against the bruxism that may be contributing to your TMJ disorder.

Equilibration/Occlusal Adjustment

Female dental patient leaning back in chair and smiling

If your teeth aren’t aligned properly, they can throw off the way the forces of your bite are distributed, which can put unnecessary amounts of strain on the TMJs. To give the jaw joints a chance to relax, we can perform a procedure known as occlusal adjustment, which involves making slight changes to your teeth so that the upper and lower arches come in contact with each other in all the right spots.

BOTOX® for TMJ Treatment

Female patient about to receive BOTOX injection in jaw

BOTOX® can do more than just enhance your appearance; it can also be used to temporarily relieve TMJ-related pain, allowing patients to stay more comfortable while the underlying cause of the problem is dealt with. A small BOTOX® injection can relax the muscles around your jaw joints and stop them from making the unconscious movements that contribute to TMJ disorder, thus easing any jaw tension you’ve been experiencing.