If you are experiencing pain in the TMJ area, the side of your face, or have difficulty opening and closing your jaw, you may be suffering from a disorder of the TMJ jaw joints. For some patients, the pain comes and goes, and for others the pain is constant and interferes with their daily lives.
Because the causes of TMJ disorder are almost always multifactorial, it may take some trial and error to diagnose a cause and suggest a treatment. Many times, bruxism – nocturnal grinding of the teeth- is to blame. If the pain is most apparent in the morning, and accompanied by fatigue and headaches, bruxism is likely causing or contributing to the TMJ. in this case, your dentist will likely decide that you need to wear a nightguard at night to protect your teeth and jaw. Nightguards can sometimes be worn during the day if you find that you clench your jaw or grind your teeth during the day. Misalignment of the teeth, wisdom teeth eruption, poor posture, arthritis and stress can also cause pain in the area of the jaw joints.
If you are experiencing TMJ pain, it’s best to go see your dentist so he or she can diagnose what t
