If you often have headaches, there’s a few questions you should ask yourself.

Does your jaw hurt? Or does it click when you you chew food? Pain in your jaw can lead to headaches, migraines, and even facial pain. You don’t have to live with that pain. At the Antoine Dental Center in Houston, TX, we offer treatment for TMJ disorders and Bruxism; two of the leading causes of jaw pain.

We don’t want any of our patients to have to live in a pain or discomfort. For that reason, we’re going to use today’s blog post to tell you a little bit more about TMJ disorders and bruxism.

What is TMJ Disorder?

TMJ Disorder (sometimes abbreviated as TMD) is temporomandibular joint disorder, a disorder affecting your jaw joint. Your jaw joint acts as the hinge for your jaw, when it’s out of place you may feel pain or notice clicking or grinding sensation when opening and closing your mouth.

In general, this pain only gets worse when you speak or chew. This can make it difficult to continue living life normally. The pain from your jaw can also spread, manifesting as pain in your face, neck, and shoulders, or as headaches or migraines.

The exact cause of TMJ disorders can be difficult to determine. TMJ disorders often manifest in patients who experience pain or arthritis in their other joints. TMJ disorder typically occurs in patients who clench or grind their teeth when they feel stressed, or even while they sleep. Previous stress or fractures to the jawbone can also lead to TMJ disorders.

What is Bruxism?

Bruxism is another medical condition in which people clench and grind their teeth. Typically, this clenching and grinding occurs at night. Patients with bruxism often wake up with sharp pains in their jaw, or terrible headaches.

Clenching and grinding your teeth causes a lot of stress to both your teeth and your bone structure. Your face simply isn’t designed for this kind of stress; the pressure from clenching and grinding can wear down and fracture your teeth, as well as the cartilage in your jaw.

Bruxism can occur for any number of reasons. Typical causes include stress, a misalignment in your jaw, or the position in which you sleep at night. Bruxism can lead to lost sleep, higher stress, and a lower overall quality of life.

How Can TMJ Disorders and Bruxism be Treated?

At our office, we have years of experience diagnosing and treating TMJ Disorders as well as Bruxism. Our staff has undergone literally hundreds of hours of professional training on the subject.

Relief from TMJ disorders and bruxism starts with an accurate diagnosis. We begin by doing a thorough examination of the condition of your jaw and teeth. We then take state-of-the-art digital x-rays to give us more insight into the condition of your jaw. Finally, we also diligently note symptoms you are having, so that we can find the best ways to bring relief to your pain.

If we diagnose you with TMJ disorder or bruxism, we can immediately begin treatment to help get you the relief you deserve. One of our most popular treatments is to design a custom mouthguard (often called a night guard) for you to use.

When you wear a night guard, you can get a better night’s sleep almost immediately after you begin use. Night guards are made to fit comfortably, and unnoticeably, in your mouth during sleep. Night guards prevent the grinding of your teeth, protecting both the health of your teeth and the health of your jaw.

Store Bought Mouth Guards Vs. Our Night Guards

Store-bought mouth guards are often made out of cheap, and uncomfortable material. They are simply unable to stand up the stress of regular use, often falling apart. In contrast, our night guards are made out of durable materials, ensuring they stand up to the stress and pressure of grinding and clenching.

Store-bought mouth guards are not fitted to your mouth, which can lead to an uncomfortable fit. This can make it harder to sleep, making your nights longer and your days shorter. Night guards prevent you from losing any sleep through their custom fit. You won’t even notice they’re in your mouth!

Make An Appointment

Have you been experiencing pain in your jaw? Or unexplainable headaches and migraines? We can help. We encourage you to contact our office to schedule an appointment or if you have more questions about TMJ disorders and bruxism. We’ve helped thousands of patients suffering from headaches with TMJ treatment in Houston.

Antoine Dental Center is proud to serve Houston, TX. Our office can be reached at 713-364-8990. Please don’t hesitate to call with any questions you may have over TMJ treatment in Houston; we’re here to help you live better and more comfortably.