TMJ Jaw Pain Noblesville

Dr. Mike Deldar at Deldar Dental:
When you experience jaw pain, I am aware it can affect your entire life. Their daily life, work, sleep, and relationships can be heavily impacted by an ongoing strain around the jaw. Some people seek treatment immediately, some are determined to 'live through it', some seek more information to define the road ahead towards jaw pain relief.

When you don't know what is causing your jaw pain, it's hard to make a plan to get rid of it. You might have done some Internet research and came across TMJ Disorder.

Though the Internet is an amazing resource for information, some articles can reflect contradicting causes, view points and treatment approaches. It's only natural that this "wealth" of Internet information can also lead to great confusion.

When you are at the point to take resolute action to get rid of your jaw pain, but you don't know exactly what to do, you're not alone. At this very moment, there must be thousands of people looking at their laptop, tablet, or smart phone, to obtain answers about their condition. I will sincerely try to provide you with valuable answers on this page.

Dr Mike Deldar
Neuromuscular Dentist Noblesville / Indianapolis

As with anything you use daily, over time, there is going to be significant wear and tear. The same principle applies to your teeth. Think about it: you use them repeatedly, day-in and day-out. Practically everything you do requires the use of your teeth. Each day, your teeth contribute to your ability to talk, breathe, kiss, eat, drink and swallow. You chew, bite, grind, brush, floss, and generally (albeit unconsciously) abuse them. 

When you have a misaligned jaw and a subsequent bad bite, the wear and tear on your teeth is significantly more rapid and rigorous. The erosion on your teeth can lead to uneven tooth wear, loss of range of jaw motion, gum recession and various other symptoms – this is all connected to TMJ.

Clicking, popping, jaw pain....what's going on?

When you bite down, do you experience pain?
Are your restricted in the amount you can open your mouth?
When you chew or even flex your face – does it result in popping or clicking?
Have friends or family member commented on how loud that pop was?
When you yawn or talk, do you feel as though you need to help support your jaw?

If you answered yes to even one of those questions, something isn’t right. A healthy and normal TMJ is quiet when it’s working. During eating, chewing, singing, swallowing, talking and even breathing – you would feel no discomfort or experience anything unusual.

The muscles that control your jaw should work in harmony, allowing you to open and close your mouth both smoothly and silently. If you notice a constant clicking, popping and snapping when you engage in everyday activities, these are indicators that your jaw joint is unstable.

How do I know if I have a misaligned bite?

You have a disc of cartilage inside of your jaw joint which keeps the joint from rubbing together. When the jaw muscles move this disc out of place, the joints end up rubbing together, causing the clicking and popping sound you hear. Sometimes, it is loud enough to be heard by other people.

When your jaw is misaligned and not properly supported, it can be limited in its range of motion. Were you are at a friend’s dinner party and suddenly couldn't open your mouth wide enough to eat? It's more common than you think.

If you suffer from TMJ, the ability to open your mouth fully or widely can be limited and painful. Something is clearly wrong. You will have to seek treatment to get rid of these (TMJ) symptoms, or things will get worse. 

What is TMJ  Disorder?

This name applies to many conditions that impact the temporomandibular joints. These important joints connect your jaw to your skull. TMJ Disorder or TMD for short, can throw off your jaw's alignment. This causes several symptoms throughout your face and body.

I see it again and again: patients don't realize that TMJ can cause pain in other areas of the body. In fact, TMJ often causes aches and pain in your neck, back, and shoulders.

TMJ Treatment Options

Our comprehensive TMJ treatment plan includes a few steps. This plan targets the painful symptoms while healing the root cause.

1. Initial pain relief with Ultra-Low Frequency Transcutaneous Electrical Neural Stimulation (TENS) is an excellent drug-free method. This technique improves blood flow and promotes natural pain relief from endorphins.
2. Adjusting your bite. I use a non-invasive, custom-built orthotic that can gently balance your jaw to its optimum position.
3. Making it last. This step varies depending on your personal needs. Methods may include braces, adjusting your tooth enamel, crowns, or full smile makeovers. The goal is to stop what's causing your TMJ disorder at the source while enhancing your bite at the same time.