TMJ & TMD Symptoms
Serving Northern Virginia including Tysons Corner, Fairfax, Reston, Alexandria, Arlington, Washington D.C. and surrounding areas
Disorders of the joint in your jaw, the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), are called temporomandibular disorders or TMD. Dr. Chung is a Northern Virginia neuromuscular dentist who is trained specifically to treat your TMD symptoms at the source, addressing the muscles, nerves, and bone structures that are involved. If you suffer from one or more of the following symptoms, you may be suffering from TMD.
Headache
This is one of the most common symptoms of TMD. When you suffer from TMD, you put a lot of pressure on your teeth and jaw, which in turn causes headaches. These types of headaches are typically located in the temple area, the back of the head and may radiate down the back of the neck.
For more information, see Headaches and TMD/TMJ.
TMJ clicks
Another common symptom is jaw clicks. Generally, the clicks are only felt and heard by the person suffering from TMD, but the clicks may be loud enough for others to hear. Over time the clicks may progressively get worse, resulting in further symptoms.
Jaw locking
Frequently associated with jaw clicking, jaw locking can occur when the TMJ becomes so misaligned that the hinge catches. Usually, you have to move your jaw laterally in order to unlock it.
Stiff TMJ
Overworked muscles ache and stiffen. With TMD your muscles are often overworked, even while you are sleeping. If you grind your teeth at night, you may wake up with sore and stiff jaw muscles right around the TMJ.
Sensitive teeth
This symptom is frequently associated with other causes of TMD like bruxism. If your teeth are inexplicably and generally sensitive, it may be due to TMD.
Earaches
Because of the proximity of the TMJ to the structures of the ear, pain may radiate there. Other ear symptoms like tinnitus, or ringing of the ears, may be associated with TMD.
Since many of these same symptoms can be caused by other maladies and disorders, it is important to obtain a correct diagnosis and proper treatment. According to a study by Gelb and Gelb in 1989, approximately 73 percent of Americans suffer from headaches, but only a small fraction actually visits the dentist for resolution. The study suggests that greater results may be realized by visiting a neuromuscular dentist.
Relief from these symptoms is just a phone call away. If you live in the Northern Virginia area and suffer from any of these symptoms, please contact neuromuscular dentist Dr. Chung today to schedule an initial TMJ/TMD consultation. Don't put off treatment any longer.
Oakton, VA 22124
