TMJ Syndrome

If you suffer from recurring headaches, your jaws ache, your teeth crack or pieces shear off and your sleeping partner tells you of your teeth grinding or clacking in your sleep. You need relief. You need help.

You need expert diagnosis of your symptoms and skilled treatment to bring an end to your pain and discomfort. You will find both from Smiles by Hillside.

If you have endured continual discomforts, a comprehensive examination can determine if you are suffering from TMJ, the neuromuscular syndrome of the temporomandibular (jaw) joint. These small joints in the front of each ear attach the lower jaw to the skull, and are the most complex joints in the entire body. Most commonly, TMJ disorders stem from a malocclusion, or ‘bad bite'. This means that your upper and lower teeth do not close properly and are misaligned. When this misalignment occurs, the muscles of the face and neck become strained, as they are forced into strained positions for chewing and swallowing.

Patients may experience all, or some of the following symptoms with TMJ:

• Headache
• Face, Jaw, Neck and Shoulder Pain
• Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
• Sensitive or sore teeth
• Limited movement, or ‘locking' of the jaw
• Jaw joint clicking or popping
• Worn or cracked teeth
• Numbness in fingers or arms

Relief of symptoms is brought about through a careful realignment of the malocclusion using processes determined by your dentists' examination. Once your jaw is returned to a natural position and strain on the muscles eliminated, TMJ symptoms will disappear.

The examination of your TMJ disorder may involve computerised tracking of your jaw movements, its' resting position and closure paths. Electromyography may be used to measure your jaw's muscle functions and the jaw-to-skull relationship. Sonography can be used to record jaw joint sound to detect abnormalities and X-rays of the jaw may also be taken to evaluate its' position and condition.

Your comfort and dental health are important to your quality of life. Early diagnosis of TMJ syndrome allows your dentist to free you from needless pain and discomfort. Let our expertise bring your smile back to life, give us a call on 020 8346 0668 today or click here to request a free consultation.