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Our temporomandibular joints, or TMJs, are the joints that connect our lower jawbones to our faces. They’re hinge joints that allow us to open and close our mouths through the movement of the mandible. They also allow some side to side movement. TMD stands for temporomandibular disorders or disease.

TMD can be hard to live with, and we’ve seen patients with varying severities at Complete Health Dentistry of the Emerald Coast in Shalimar, FL. Luckily, we also have several ways of dealing with the condition based on its cause and severity. We’ll do everything we can to make you comfortable and restore normal jaw function through our TMJ TMD treatment in Shalimar, FL.

Causes and Symptoms of TMD

Trauma is the most common cause of TMD. Receiving trauma to the face can disrupt the joint and damage its elements. Stress and teeth grinding are growing causes of TMD too. Both lead to increased stress to the bony elements of the joint as well as the disc.

Most people with TMD present with pain or a clicking sound when they open and close their mouths. Sometimes the pain is referred to as the ear, and the patient doesn’t realize that the problem is affecting the jaw. At Complete Health Dentistry of the Emerald Coast, we’ve seen more severe cases where patients were incapable of opening or closing their mouths due to restriction or severe pain.

TMD Treatment Options

NSAIDs and muscle relaxants are medications we often start with. They relieve inflammation, deal with the pain, and relax jaw muscles. In many cases, these drugs are enough, and no further intervention is required. Patients with a locked jaw might need steroid injections into the joint. Steroids are very powerful at controlling inflammation.

Those with underlying joint damage or persistent symptoms usually require surgery. Surgery can be done using traditional techniques or using arthroscopy. In arthroscopy, a thin tube with a camera at the end of it is used to perform the surgery. Arthroscopy is minimally invasive and is associated with faster recovery and fewer side effects.

We explain everything to our patients and provide our recommendations before anything is done. Our efforts will be aimed at treating your symptoms and making sure they don’t recur. For years, our dentist in Shalimar, FL has served residents of Navarre, Wynnehaven Beach, Fort Walton Beach, Mary Esther, Santa Rosa Island, Okaloosa Island, Ocean City, Wright and the surrounding communities of Niceville, Valparaiso, Destin, Miramar Beach dentist and Crestview. Looking for a Shalimar family dentistry for TMJ TMD treatment near you? Pay our dentist near me a visit.