TMJ/TMD Therapy – Rancho Bernardo, CA
Stop Chronic Jaw Pain for Good
Nothing is worse than dedicating your time and attention to a proper sleep schedule and waking up with jaw pain and discomfort that you can’t quite explain. However, that doesn’t mean you have to settle for it. Our dental office can create a fully customized oral appliance that not only relieves stress stemming from your jaw joints, but protects your tooth enamel in the process. Dr. Howard will sit down with you and confirm your condition in more detail, ensuring you get exactly what you need through TMJ/TMD therapy in Rancho Bernardo, CA.
Why Choose Nelson Y. Howard, D.D.S. for TMJ/TMD Therapy?
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Customized Oral
Appliances
Available -
Dentist with
Extensive Knowledge
and Experience -
Exceptional and
Personalized Customer
Service
What is TMJ/TMD Therapy?
TMJ/TMD therapy is specific treatments designed to address problems with the temporomandibular joints. These joints attach the jaw to the skull and are directly responsible for the many complex movements your jaw makes. However, when the jaw become uneven or teeth grinding and clenching occurs, it can put stress on these joints, causing chronic pain. Through therapy, we can correct this movements and reestablish equilibrium with your upper and lower jaw.
Diagnosis & Treatment
The first step to creating a diagnosis for TMJ disorder (also known as TMD) is by confirming your symptoms first and foremost. This may include popping or clicking of the jaw, lockjaw, stiffness, earaches, shoulder tension, migraines, and alignment changes in the way that you bite. From there, we can start discussing your treatment options and personalized care based on your specific needs. This could be a nightguard, occlusal adjustments, or dental splints.
Equilibration/ Occlusal Adjustments
In order to remove stress from your jaw joints, we need to first confirm what is needed to achieve equilibration within your mouth. For example, this could involve examining your mouth for any restorations that may not have been placed properly or that have become worn down, resulting in a malocclusion. From there, we can make adjustments to these restorations. In other cases, we may make adjustments to natural teeth if necessary.
Occlusal Splints
Alternatively, our dental office can produce a customized oral appliance that both protects your teeth and repositions your jaw in a way that reduces pressure to your jaw joints. This appliance is often worn while you sleep, which is when teeth grinding and clenching habits tend to happen the most. Since the appliance is customized to fit onto your teeth and inside your mouth exactly, you’re never worried about it feeling comfortable during use.