TMJ Symptoms

Cosmetic dentists serving Boston, Braintree, and Massachusetts' South Shore

• What is TMJ?
• What happens during a TMJ procedure?

Symptoms of TMJ disorder are wide ranging and can vary significantly from one person to the next. Keep in mind that the only way to accurately diagnose TMJ disorder is through a careful, professional evaluation performed by a trained neuromuscular dentist.

Depending on the type and severity of the condition, and on the individual person, some of the most common symptoms of TMJ disorder include the following:

• Jaw pain and soreness
• Headaches and migraines
• Neck and upper back pain
• Tooth grinding, or bruxism, particularly during sleep
• Clicking and popping of the jaw
• Limited range of jaw motion, including the inability to fully open or close the mouth
• Excessive tooth wear and other damage, such as cracking and chipping

Many of our patients have told us that they suffered from these or other symptoms for months and even years, without realizing what was causing their problems.

Because the symptoms of TMJ vary so greatly from one person to another, it can be a difficult condition to diagnose properly. Even among patients who have sought medical treatment for their symptoms, many end up with incorrect diagnoses. Many receive no diagnoses at all, and are left to treat the symptoms on their own with painkillers, experimental and unproven procedures, and other treatments designed to address only the symptoms, rather than the cause of their problems.

Symptoms and causes

Unfortunately, with TMJ disorder, the causes of the condition are often made worse by the condition itself. That is, while such things as tooth grinding and excessive tooth wear can often cause the jaw to become misaligned, the misalignment of the jaw causes these conditions to get worse rather than better.

This is why we recommend thorough examination of temporomandibular function with every dental visit. Early detection and early treatment of even minor jaw misalignment can save you time, money, and pain.

When you come to us for neuromuscular problems, we will do a thorough TMJ examination, analyzing your bite and the function of your jaw in detail. This allows us to make a definitive diagnosis, pinpointing the exact cause of your problems, and helping us to determine what we need to do to fix it.

We offer a variety of treatments for our patients' temporomandibular joint disorders, and will ensure that your treatment is exactly the right one for you, to halt or even reverse your condition, so that you can finally live your life free of the pain and discomfort of TMJ disorder.

Learn more

Give us a call or email us today to schedule your free, no obligation Meet & Greet with our friendly dental staff. We'll answer any questions you might have.