If you’ve ever struggled with TMJ pain, you know just how serious it can be. When your TMJ aches or is painful, it can be difficult to eat, speak, and even sleep. There are many ways to manage TMJ disorders including massage and pain relievers. But one often-overlooked approach is to see an orthodontist. Keep reading for a better understanding of TMJ disorders and the orthodontic treatments that can help manage or resolve them.
What Is the TMJ?
“TMJ” stands for “temporomandibular joint.” This is the joint between your temporal bone and your mandibular bone. The temporal bone is the bone that comprises the side of your skull, near your ears. The mandibular bone is your lower jaw bone. The TMJ itself is located just under your ear.
What Are TMJ Disorders?
The terms “TMJ pain” and “TMJ disorder” are often used interchangeably. Both refer to pain and discomfort in the TMJ region. Some patients experience this pain as an aching stiffness. They may struggle to open their jaws or chew. Other patients have a sharper TMJ pain that flares up after they chew something crunchy, or after they talk too much.
TMJ disorders range in severity. Some patients are only bothered by pain every once in a while, but for others, the pain is a constant, daily concern.
How Are Orthodontics and TMJ Disorders Connected?
TMJ pain can be caused or made worse by problems with your jaw alignment. And your jaw alignment is affected by the alignment of your teeth. For example, if your upper teeth sit too far to the left of your lower teeth, then your upper and lower jaws may not sit properly relative to one another. The improper position of the lower jaw can put pressure on their TMJ, leading to pain.
Orthodontic procedures and appliances are designed to correct the alignment of your teeth. By correcting your dental alignment, you can correct your jaw alignment, which can reduce your TMJ pain or, in some cases, get rid of it entirely.
How Do You Know If You Need Orthodontic Treatment?
If you struggle with TMJ pain, definitely see an orthodontist for a consultation. Your teeth may or may not appear to be misaligned. However, even small abnormalities in your dental alignment can contribute to TMJ disorders. Your teeth may appear to be pretty straight, when in reality, you have a mild misalignment that an orthodontist would notice and treat.
Don’t assume that because you had braces or aligners as a child or teen, you don’t need orthodontic care now. It’s not uncommon for teeth to become misaligned over time. Even if your teeth were corrected to perfection when you were a teen, you may have developed some misalignments in the interim.
What Orthodontic Treatments Help With TMJ Disorders?
The orthodontic treatments your dentist recommends will depend on the nature of your misalignment. In most cases, however, patients are good candidates for either braces or clear aligners. Braces tend to be better for correcting teeth that are twisted or badly misaligned. Clear aligners, on the other hand, can correct most misalignments and tend to be more comfortable than braces.
How Soon Will Your TMJ Pain Disappear?
It depends. Some patients start to notice their TMJ pain going away within weeks of beginning orthodontic care. If you have a mild misalignment, even a small change in the position of your teeth may change your jaw position, helping to relieve pressure on the TMJ.
Other patients find it takes longer to experience relief from TMJ pain. You may notice the pain slowly becomes less prominent over time, as you continue to follow your orthodontist’s treatment plan. In the meantime, you can use massage, ice packs, and sometimes over-the-counter pain relievers to manage your TMJ pain.
It’s also important to note that orthodontic care, alone, does not always fully resolve TMJ disorders. If you have arthritis in your TMJ from an old injury or from overuse, orthodontics may help, but not completely rid you of your pain. An orthodontist should be able to give you a better idea of how effective braces or aligners will be for you based on your own, unique oral health and alignment.
While it’s not a cure-all, orthodontic treatment has been life-changing for so many people with TMJ disorders. If you struggle with jaw pain, contact Dream Orthodontics in South Surrey to schedule an appointment. We’re dedicated to providing personalized care and attention for every patient, and our goal is for you to be pain-free.