Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, or TMJ, affects millions of Americans, causing pain and discomfort that can impact your daily life. At Hardin Cosmetic and Family Dentistry, we understand how TMJ pain can make simple activities like eating, speaking, or even smiling a challenge. Our team offers compassionate care and effective treatments to help you find relief from TMJ symptoms and improve your quality of life. TMJ treatment in our Indianapolis, IN office can restore the function and comfort of your bite as a restorative dental service.
What is TMJ?
The temporomandibular joint connects your jawbone to your skull on both sides of your face. This small but mighty joint works like a sliding hinge, allowing your jaw to move up and down and side to side. When this joint becomes damaged or inflamed, it can lead to TMJ disorder. This condition can cause pain in your jaw joint and the muscles that control jaw movement.
Many factors can contribute to TMJ disorders, including teeth grinding, jaw clenching, arthritis, jaw injury, or stress. Sometimes the cause remains unknown, but the pain and discomfort are very real.
The symptoms of TMJ are debilitating and can greatly interfere with every day life. Your comfort and general well-being are at the heart of the dental practice, so pain relief is our first consideration. Dr. Hardin can test, diagnose, and devise an immediate plan to treat the underlying causes of the TMJ disorder. Our dental team can identify the underlying causes of your TMJ disorder and develop a personalized treatment plan to address your specific needs.
Our TMJ Treatment Approach
We believe each patient deserves personalized care for their TMJ concerns. Our approach begins with a comprehensive evaluation of your symptoms and oral health. During your initial consultation, we’ll take time to listen to your concerns and understand how TMJ is affecting your daily life.
Our examination process includes a detailed review of your medical and dental history, along with a thorough clinical examination of your jaw, bite, and facial muscles. We may use advanced imaging techniques to get a clearer picture of your jaw joint structure and function. This thorough diagnostic process helps us identify the root cause of your TMJ disorder, whether it’s related to teeth grinding, stress, misalignment, injury, or other factors.
We believe in starting with the most conservative treatment options before considering more advanced interventions. This patient-centered approach ensures you receive the most appropriate care for your specific condition while minimizing unnecessary treatments.
TMJ Treatment Options
Based on your specific diagnosis, we offer several effective treatment options for TMJ disorders:
- Custom Oral Appliances: We create precisely fitted nightguards designed specifically for your mouth to prevent teeth grinding and clenching during sleep. These specialized devices help reposition your jaw to reduce pressure on the joint and protect your teeth from further damage. Our appliances are crafted from high-quality materials for maximum comfort and durability.
- Myofunctional Therapy: This therapeutic approach focuses on exercises that strengthen and retrain the muscles involved in jaw function. These simple yet effective exercises can significantly improve jaw mobility, reduce pain, and enhance overall function. Our team will guide you through these exercises and help you develop a routine you can easily maintain at home.
- Bite Adjustment: Sometimes TMJ pain stems from an uneven bite that places excessive stress on your jaw joint. Through careful analysis and precise adjustments, we can create a more balanced bite relationship, distributing forces evenly across your teeth and reducing strain on your TMJ. We can change the shape of the teeth and get rid of the bad bite completely, often called “realignment.” This is especially useful because it alleviates TMJ symptoms and may improve the aesthetic appearance of the teeth as well. Realignment involves adjusting the relationship between how the upper teeth come together with the lower teeth. This may require new restorations and/or adjusting the natural teeth.This procedure is conservative and can provide significant relief for many patients.
- Stress Management Guidance: Since stress often contributes to TMJ problems through increased jaw clenching, we provide practical strategies to manage stress and its effects on your jaw. These may include relaxation techniques specifically targeting the jaw muscles and practical tips for becoming more aware of tension-holding patterns.
- Advanced Joint Therapies: For more persistent cases, we offer specialized treatments that focus directly on the joint itself. These may include ultrasound therapy, low-level laser treatment, or trigger point injections to reduce inflammation and promote healing in the joint tissues.
- Restorative Dental Work: When TMJ issues are related to missing teeth or an unstable bite, we may recommend dental restorations to rebuild proper dental support. This might include crowns, bridges, or in some cases, orthodontic treatment to create optimal alignment and function.
For complex cases, we work closely with a network of specialists, including physical therapists, pain management experts, and oral surgeons. This collaborative approach ensures you receive comprehensive care for even the most challenging TMJ conditions.
At Hardin Cosmetic and Family Dentistry, we’re committed to finding the right solution for your TMJ pain. Most patients experience significant improvement with our conservative treatment methods, allowing them to return to normal daily activities without discomfort.
Schedule Your TMJ Consultation Today
Don’t let TMJ pain control your life. Our compassionate team will work with you to develop a personalized treatment plan that addresses your specific needs.
To schedule a TMJ consultation, please call our office at 317-830-0073 or use our online appointment request form. We look forward to helping you on your journey to a pain-free smile and improved quality of life.