If you experience persistent pain near your ear, jaw, or the muscles in the side of your face, you may be suffering from a temporomandibular disorder, or TMD. TMD describes conditions affecting the temporomandibular joints and the surrounding areas.

TMD – Canton, MS

If you experience persistent pain near your ear, jaw, or the muscles in the side of your face, you may be suffering from a temporomandibular disorder, or TMD. TMD describes conditions affecting the temporomandibular joints and the surrounding areas. The pain, clicking, and popping that are associated with these conditions can be resolved in a multitude of ways.

Causes and Symptoms of TMD

The temporomandibular joints are subject to the same orthopedic problems of any other joint in your body. Other factors that influence TMD are genetics, gender, and age. The symptoms vary and may include one or more of the following:

• Clicking, Popping, or Grating Sounds – Some people with TMD hear such noises when opening and closing their mouth. While clicking in and of itself is not significant, clicking or other noises that are accompanied by pain or limited jaw movement may be indicative of TMD.
• Muscle Pain – If you feel soreness or stiffness in the muscles of your cheeks and temples upon waking, it may be the result of nocturnal clenching or grinding. A custom-made nightguard can decrease the force applied to your teeth and allow your muscles to relax and relieve pressure on your temporomandibular joints.
• Joint Pain – Pain that comes from one or both of your jaw joints would technically be described as arthritis of the TMJ. While there is no cure for arthritis anywhere in the body, medication can help to relieve the associated discomfort.

Pain Relief and Treatment Options

Once you have been diagnosed with TMD, a pain management plan will be recommended. Some patients benefit from eating a softer diet. Ice can can help relieve the inflammation that causes discomfort, and muscle spasms may be helped with gentle stretching exercises. Anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen can also provide relief.

If the treatments above are not effective, then you may require a more complex form of treatment. These could include orthodontics, dental restorations, or even cortisone injections. The first step to take for comfort and treatment, however, is an examination at Dental Solutions of Mississippi.