Temporomandibular joint disorder, more commonly known as TMJ disorder, is a condition in which a patient experiences pain in the temporomandibular joints that connect the jawbone to the skull.
The condition is usually characterized by constant headaches, frequent pain in the jaw, ear, face, or neck, and discomfort when chewing food. The jaws can also get locked when yawning or chewing, creating added pain or soreness for the affected individual. Often, this locking is accompanied by popping or clicking sounds.
Preparing for Your Appointment
TMJ disorder can happen when the joint is overworked, misaligned, or injured from a hard blow or impact. Before you go to our clinic for appointment, you can prepare by determining the answers to the following questions:
- What exactly do you feel? Do you have headaches, pain around the ears, toothaches, or pain in the jaw? Does your jaw pop when you move it?
- When did the pain, discomfort, or popping sounds begin?
- Is this the first time you are experiencing these symptoms?
- Are the symptoms reoccurring or do you feel them continuously?
- Have you recently engaged in any activity that may have triggered the symptoms?
- Do you have any existing medical conditions (e.g. arthritis) that may be causing the symptoms?
- What is your lifestyle like? Describe important points like diet, exercise routines, sleep patterns, and stress levels.
TMJ Disorder Treatment with Dr. Frey
Dr. David S. Frey is one of Southern California’s leading specialists in neuromuscular dentistry, having provided TMJ disorder treatment services to hundreds of patients from Beverly Hills, Orange, County, Los Angeles, and surrounding areas. He’s also worked with clients from other parts of the United States and from other countries.
Dr. Frey specializes in correcting the position of the jaw, teeth, and surrounding tissues, discovering their ideal form and structure to produce a more balanced bite and to treat TMJ disorder symptoms.
Our office’s approach is divided into two different phases:
Curing the Symptoms of TMJ Disorder
- We commence the treatment by discovering your jaw’s ideal relaxed position. This “physiological resting position” will be the benchmark natural position that we will use for the entire treatment procedure.
- A transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) machine will be used to deliver electrical currents that will help relax your overworked or misaligned jaw muscles.
- We will then capture the relaxed position with a molding material, allowing us to manufacture an orthotic device that will realign your bite into this optimal position.
- The TMJ orthotic device is customized to your teeth. This orthopedic appliance is designed to treat the underlying pathology that causes your TMJ symptoms. The orthosis will simply rest on your existing teeth. It will not cause changes in the way you speak, and it is also not physically noticeable.
- The TMJ orthotic will gradually reposition the jaw and the jaw joints. Almost immediately, and even more so over time, symptoms like headaches, jaw pain, neck pain, ear pain, vertigo, back discomfort, and many of the other symptoms you are experiencing that are associated with your TMJ disorder will vanish.
Full-Mouth Rehabilitation
- Once you have acclimated to your new bite, Dr. Frey can proceed to perform other dental procedures that can help maintain the positive results of your TMJ treatment and improve your teeth aesthetically.
- For instance, dental implants can be used to replace your teeth that have gone missing due to disease or injury. This is important so as to prevent your jawbone from experiencing atrophy and causing problems for you in the future.
TMJ disorder can cause unnecessary pain in discomfort. Consult with Beverly Hills neuromuscular dentistry expert Dr. David S. Frey to learn about your treatment options.
Contact us today to learn more about our TMJ treatment procedure. We will be more than happy to explain in detail what you can expect from the treatment and how it can improve your quality of life and even your physical appearance.
