Your jaw joints can be vulnerable to several issues. Just like every other part of you, they can suffer problems after a physical injury. You could also experience discomfort in your jaw because of the way you bite and chew food. This can be because you are working around a missing tooth, or because you have to account for crooked teeth. One major source of stress for your jaw can be bruxism, the habit of grinding your teeth. You can wind up clenching your jaw with enough force to do dental damage, and create a problem known as TMD (tempormandibular joint disorder). Those problems can make it difficult to move your jaw, and leave you experiencing chronic discomfort, including regular headaches.
What Your Dentist Can Do About TMD And Bruxism
Bruxism needs to be addressed – if it is not, you could wind up seriously damaging your teeth. Your dentist can offer you a special mouth guard to protect your teeth. TMD’s ability to cause you chronic pain is also a problem, because it can hurt your quality of life. There are several changes you can make to alleviate TMD issues, such as sleeping on your back, or applying heat to your jaw. Your dentist can also help by providing an oral appliance that helps with discomfort.
Addressing The Physical Damages Dealt By Bruxism
Bruxism is capable of damaging teeth, and could call for restorative dental work to address that damage. If your physical issues are milder, your dentist might recommend cosmetic dental work, which can make your teeth look healthier and more attractive.
