TMJ and Dental Appointments

Do you experience clicking in your jaw when you yawn?  Or experience difficulty holding your mouth open for dental cleanings?  You could be experiencing a TMJ disorder and not realize it.

The Temporomandibular joints (TMJ) are the joints, muscles, and ligaments of the jaw that open and close your mouth.  These joints and muscles allow you to chew, speak, and swallow.  While TMJ problems are frequently associated with pain in the jaw area, it can also cause pain in the face, neck or around the ear.  Other symptoms include a popping sound in the joint, difficulty opening the mouth very wide, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), and difficulty chewing.

If you have experienced any of these symptoms in the past, please tell us about them at the beginning of an exam.  We can talk about the causes and preventative options and treatments. In some cases, it may be necessary to prescribe an anti-inflammatory and/or a muscle relaxant for you to take prior to dental appointments so that you’re more comfortable for cleanings and exams.