When the pain began, it wasn’t a big deal. In fact, that jaw pain would come and go. You hoped it would go away for good, but then you noticed it was growing worse. Next came headaches and neck problems, and you realized this wasn’t going away on its own.
If you have these symptoms, you probably have temporomandibular disorder, or TMD. The joints in your jaw are stressed and causing several problems. Thankfully, there is a solution. You can find TMD relief in South Carolina by calling either of our dental offices: Murrells Inlet at 843-507-5219 or Georgetown at 843-507-5064.
Get the TMD Relief You Deserve
No one deserves to suffer TMJ pain, especially not when the TMD treatments are simple and easy to find. Dr. Miller can help with a custom oral appliance. This is a small accessory you put in your mouth when resting or sleeping. It takes away enough of the pressure on your jaw joints so they can heal naturally. Over time, this can relieve your TMD pain and help you feel much better.
TMD treatment does more than just relieve pain! A side effect of TMD is bruxism, or grinding your teeth without realizing it. While your teeth are supposed to come together when you chew, they are not supposed to be ground against each other consistently. Bruxism can lead to damaged teeth, as all that grinding wears away the enamel.
Another way to get TMD relief in South Carolina is through a custom night guard. Similar to an oral appliance, you wear this overnight over your teeth almost like a mouthguard. Not only can this help give your jaw joints time to heal, it can protect your teeth from bruxism.
And if you are experiencing pain more often than not, Dr. Miller may suggest over-the-counter pain relievers, ice packs, or even meditation to reduce stress. Being more relaxed helps ease the pressure on your jaw joints as well.
What Is TMD?
Your jaw is controlled by two joints, one on either side of your face. Whenever you chew, talk, or even open your mouth to breathe, you depend on those jaw joints.
Although these are tough and can handle repeated use, they need time to rest just like any joint in your body. When you have TMD, those joints do not get time to rest and heal naturally. Instead, the disorder puts too much stress on them. This is why the pain grows gradually; it builds up as the jaw joints are overused so often.
Scientists are still researching the causes of TMD, but one probable cause is stress. When you are anxious or stressed, your muscles tend to tense up. That includes the muscles controlling your jaw joints.
TMD relief in South Carolina is available, so don’t live with pain you can easily correct. Call The Smile Center today at our Murrells Inlet office (843-507-5219) or our Georgetown office (843-507-5064). You can also make an appointment through our online form. Chances are that pain will just get worse the longer you wait.