Is Bruxism Aggravating your Muscles and Jaw Joints?
Do you wake up in the morning with sore facial muscles or jaw pain? Do your teeth also look worn down or short? You might grind and clench your teeth without knowing it! You’re probably noticing the symptoms mentioned above or even radiating pain in your neck, shoulders, and back. If you do have bruxism, it is most likely due to an imbalance between your teeth, muscles, and jaw joints. If even one of these is off, such as crooked teeth or a misaligned temporomandibular joint (TMJ), you’ll experience issues with the others. The good news is that our experienced dentists are trained in bruxism and TMJ treatment in Florence, SC. Through comprehensive diagnostics and analysis, we’ll help you find relief with a bite adjustment, oral appliance, or specialized TMJ treatment with orthodontics like Invisalign®. Don’t wait to schedule your first appointment with our skilled team today!
Do You Need Treatment?
- Clenching and grinding teeth
- Pain in TMJ joints or jaw pain
- Pain traveling to neck, shoulders, and back
- Chronic headaches
- Sore muscles in the face
- Ear ringing
Dr. Hill discusses what bruxism is and how to prevent it.
Restore Harmony to your Muscles, Joints, and Teeth
It’s our goal to find the source of your symptoms so we can determine the most ideal way to restore harmony between your muscles, joints, and teeth. Our TMJ treatment in Florence, SC involves comprehensive diagnostics and evaluation to pinpoint where your pain is developing from and to provide personalized treatment.
- Bite Adjustment
- Oral Appliance
- Orthodontics
Teeth that don’t line up properly when you bite puts excessive stress on your facial muscles and jaw joints. This can also lead you to clench and grind your teeth. We’ll make minor adjustments to the surfaces of your teeth to restore a harmonious occlusion. With your teeth resting comfortably together, your muscles and joints won’t have to overwork themselves to find a balance as it will already be established.
Sometimes, teeth grinding and clenching is a symptom of a misaligned or dislocated temporomandibular joint, known as TMJ disorder. We’ll create a custom oral appliance you can wear at night that will prevent your teeth from coming together. This will resolve bruxism symptoms, help your joints find a proper equilibrium, and let your facial muscles rest and heal.
Teeth grinding and clenching and TMJ disorder may be attributed to severely crooked teeth. When this is the case, we recommend orthodontic treatment like Invisalign to straighten the teeth and restore proper occlusion. With teeth coming together properly, there is no need for the joints or muscles to stress in an attempt to restore balance. Similarly, aligned teeth often resolve grinding and clenching symptoms, too.