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TMJ Disorder & Le Blanc’s Innovative Treatment Options in Houston
If you are suffering from frequent headaches, jaw aches, and/or aching facial pain, it could be Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, also known as TMJ or TMD.
Your temporomandibular joint is a hinge that connects your jaw to the temporal bones of your skull, which are in front of each ear. It lets you move your jaw up and down and side to side so you can talk, chew, and yawn. It is the most complex and used joint in the body, so it is no surprise that it frequently develops problems due to wear and tear, overextension, and injury.
Problems with your jaw and the muscles in your face that control it are known as temporomandibular disorders (TMD). You may also hear these problems referred to as TMJ.
Most medical specialists believe TMJ symptoms arise from problems with your jaw muscles or parts of the joint itself. Injury to your jaw, the joint, or the muscles of your head and neck – like from a heavy blow or whiplash – can lead to TMJ. However, it is more common for TMJ Disorder to develop slowly over a longer period of time from causes such as:
If you have one or more of the above symptoms for any length of time, remember that early intervention is key. It is crucial to see one of our dentists for an evaluation of your temporomandibular joints. TMJ Disorder, if left untreated, can quickly deteriorate, leading to serious complications and damage to the joint and surrounding muscles and tendons. But with early intervention, we can preserve the joint, restore proper function, and relieve your pain.
We offer several ways to treat TMJ Disorder, each meant to ease your pain and get your jaw working normally again. Two of them use newer muscle-based technology you won’t find at most dental offices, so we can match the approach to your jaw and how you feel about needles or surgery. Depending on the severity of your discomfort, the source of the pain, and other factors, we will evaluate your jaw and temporomandibular joints thoroughly and determine the most effective option for you.
We design and fabricate custom TMJ bite splints (occlusal splints) from impressions of your teeth. The finished splint covers some or all of your upper or lower teeth, guiding your jaws into proper alignment and limiting jaw movement while you sleep. The occlusal splints also stabilize the joint, allowing the surrounding muscles and tendons to relax, reducing pain.
For patients who experience TMJ symptoms such as headaches, jaw pain, earaches, and chronic tension or tenderness, the symptoms may be linked to bruxism. Bruxism is grinding or clenching of the teeth, causing extreme tension in the muscles surrounding the temporomandibular joint. Injecting therapeutic Botox® directly into the large masseter muscles around the TM joint temporarily forces them to relax. This reduces the ability to grind or clench the teeth with any intensity and gives the muscles, tendons, and joints time to heal. Inflammation also has time to subside. For most individuals, the effect lasts about three months and has to be repeated 3 to 4 times a year to remain effective.
A lot of TMJ pain starts in the muscles, not the joint. When your jaw muscles stay tight or overworked, they ache, they get tired, and they can pull your bite out of balance. Emface® treats that muscle problem without a single needle.
Emface® is FDA-cleared to treat TMJ dysfunction and the pain that comes with it, ease muscle spasms, and help hold or improve your jaw’s range of motion. It works two ways at once. Radiofrequency warms the tissue to boost blood flow and calm muscle spasm, while HIFES® stimulation works the jaw muscles directly to relax the ones that are overactive and bring them back into balance. The whole thing is hands-free, with no surgery and no downtime.
Most patients handle it easily and go right back to their day. Results vary, but Emface® may also cut down on the grinding and clenching that keep TMJ pain going.
Curious whether Emface fits your jaw pain? Learn more about Emface for TMJ or call (281) 888-0921 to book an evaluation.
EmVital® takes a different route to the same goal. It uses a 1064 nm laser with TriHIL™ technology to warm and treat the jaw muscles from the outside, hands-free and needle-free. Where Emface works the muscles with stimulation, EmVital uses gentle, targeted heat.
Since TMJ trouble often comes from weak, tight, or unbalanced jaw muscles, EmVital works on that directly. It can help strengthen underactive muscles, ease tension and fatigue, improve how your jaw moves, and bring down pain and clicking. It also gives temporary relief from muscle and joint pain, stiffness, minor arthritis pain, and muscle spasms.
Most patients feel a mild, comfortable warmth during treatment, and there’s no recovery time afterward. A typical plan runs about four short sessions spaced a few days apart, though Dr. Kulic may adjust that for your jaw.
Want to see if EmVital is right for you? Learn more about EmVital for TMJ or call (281) 888-0921.
TMJ Disorder usually causes severe pain. It can be temporary or last months or years if left untreated. It may affect one or both sides of your face and is most common in individuals between 20 and 40, with women experiencing it more often than men. If you have any of the symptoms below, you may have TMJ Disorder:
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