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TMJ Treatment in Charlotte, NC

Temporomandibular Joint Disorders 

Millions of Americans suffer from temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and craniofacial disorders. TMJ is a pair of joints that connects the mandible or lower jawbone to the skull. It allows you to open and close your mouth when you eat, talk, sing, or yawn. Unfortunately, it is not ideal in design. It is often inefficient and subject to problems like TMJ disorder or TMD. Thankfully, there are doctors who offer TMJ treatment in Charlotte, NC.

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​TMD can cause facial pain, tenderness at the joint, and difficulty in moving it. If left untreated, temporomandibular joint disorder can lead to significant health problems like inflammation and chronic pain. It can also cause bite issues, tooth erosion, sleep apnea, insomnia, depression, and anxiety.

Temporomandibular Joint | TMJ Treatment in Charlotte, NC

Symptoms of Temporomandibular Joint Disorder

There is a range of symptoms associated with TMD. If you have any of the following symptoms, don’t hesitate to call The Center for TMJ and Sleep Apnea for TMJ treatment in Charlotte, NC.

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  • Chronic headaches and migraines

  • Pain and ringing in the ears

  • Vertigo (dizziness)

  • Sore/painful facial muscles

  • Pain and/or stiffness in the back, neck, and shoulder

  • Sleep Breathing Disorders

  • Chronic Pain

  • Jaw Clicking and Popping

  • Difficulty in jaw opening and closing

  • Chewing difficulty

Many of the symptoms listed above are a result of poorly aligned teeth and unbalanced “bad” bite, which can be caused by one or more of the following:

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  • Clenching/grinding teeth

  • Trauma

  • Misaligned teeth

  • Underdeveloped Jaws

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In these circumstances, the muscles and temporomandibular joint will have to work harder to bring the teeth together to function properly. In addition, while trying to find balance in the bite, there’s a tendency for excessive subconscious grinding and/or clenching during the day and night. As a result, the teeth may wear down and can fracture. The TMJ joints can also slowly degenerate, and the surrounding muscles can suffer from strain and fatigue.

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What Causes TMJ Disorders?

The factors which can cause or contribute to TMD include abnormal bite (malocclusion), poor posture, trauma (any blow to the head or chin), and whiplash injury. Stress at work or home, as well as arthritis and hereditary growth and development factors that contribute to skeletal malformation, also has an impact on existing TMJ disorders.

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The TMJ treatment in Charlotte, NC often alleviates months or even years of pain and suffering. Also, the medication for each patient varies depending on their condition. Most of the time, it includes fabrication and fitting of precise, custom-fitted orthotic appliance, sometimes called “splints”. They’re used to improve jaw function, restore comfort, realign and stabilize the jaw joint, and allow healing to occur non-surgically.

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At The Center for TMJ and Sleep Apnea, our doctors strive to achieve a balanced bite (occlusion) to relieve acute and chronic jaw, head, and facial pain. The TMJ treatments in Concord, NC that we provide may include fabrication of comfortable, sleek occlusal decompression appliances. This way, we can appropriately reposition the jaw and muscles to reduce clenching or grinding, physical medicine including cold laser, ultrasound, prolotherapy, TENS, trigger point injections, and chronic pain nutrition and screening for sleep breathing disorders (SBD), which can cause bruxism.

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