Your temporomandibular joints attach your jaw to your skull so that you can open your mouth, speak, eat your food, and make facial expressions. The joints are cushioned by a small cartilage disk, but if they become damaged, they can cause discomfort and develop a TMJ disorder, or TMD. Depending on your specific needs, we may be able to relieve your TMJ discomfort with a custom-made night guard.
Early symptoms of TMJ disorder can include:
– Pain when opening or closing your mouth
– Pain when biting down
– Soreness in your jaw when you wake up
– A persistent dull ache around your temples or ears
Many of these symptoms are due to chronic tension in the muscle as a result of grinding your teeth and clenching your jaw frequently. Pain when biting or chewing can be due to joint inflammation or the development of arthritis.
If your TMJ problem is the result of frequent teeth grinding, Dr. Roderick Spencer can provide a custom-made night guard, which is a type of mouth guard that covers your teeth to provide a cushion that prevents grinding and clenching while you sleep.
If you are experiencing symptoms of TMD in Bozeman, Montana, and may benefit from a night guard, please call 406-602-4100 today to schedule an appointment with our experienced dentist and learn how you can treat your jaw pain.