Calgary TMJ/TMD Therapy

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the joint that connects your lower jaw to your skull on both sides of your head. This joint allows you to open and close your mouth, and move your jaw from side to side. For the majority of people the TMJ works well and causes no problems. For some people, however, problems arise that cause extreme pain and affect overall health and quality of life.

TMJ refers to the temporomandibular joint itself. Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD) are a group of conditions associated with problems of the TMJ. There are more than 30 conditions that cause dysfunction and pain in and around the jaw joint and muscles that control jaw movement. Some people experience problems with their temporomandibular joint when it becomes stressed and overworked, which leads to TMD. Bruxism, which presents as grinding, gnashing, or clenching of the jaw and teeth, is one of the most common forms of TMD.

• Difficulty opening or closing your mouth, or your jaw may lock preventing any motion at all
• Head, face, neck, jaw, back or shoulder discomfort
• Ear pain or hearing difficulties, including ringing in your ears
• Teeth grinding or clenching – this may be loud enough to wake your sleeping partner
• Teeth that are fractured, chipped, loose, or flattened
• Worn tooth enamel
• Increased tooth sensitivity or tooth pain
• Constant fatigue
• Tired or tight jaw muscles
• Popping or grating sounds in your jaw joints
• Constant migraines or headaches
• Damage from chewing or biting the inside of your cheek
• Sleep disruption

While mild Bruxism or TMD often does not require treatment, some people experience severe and frequent symptoms that require intervention. Forest Lane Dental is here to help with your TMJ pain.

Since there are a number of symptoms associated with TMD, it can sometimes be difficult to determine the right treatment. You may need to consult with multiple health care professionals, including physiotherapists, chiropractors, massage therapists, etc. With the proper diagnosis, Forest Lane Dental may be able to help determine the main cause of your problem and work with you to come up with a personalized treatment plan for your specific needs. The ultimate goal is to help relieve your pain and discomfort, as well as address any damage associated with your TMD.

The Forest Lane Dental professional team is trained to provide long-term solutions for TMJ/TMD, which can include bite rehabilitation and orthodontic treatments. We are pleased to offer custom-made TMJ appliances that can be used to help support the jaw joint, muscles, and teeth in a beneficial position to help ease the pain and discomfort associated with TMJ pain. These TMJ appliances are custom-made plastic dental mouth guards that are worn over the upper or lower teeth at night to help realign your jaw in the correct position. Also called a bite splint, they help balance and relax the jaw joints and muscles and ease the pain associated with any misalignment. They also help to protect the teeth from premature wear and tear resulting from tooth grinding, or Bruxism, before there is permanent damage to the teeth. The appliances can further help to reduce your headaches and neck, face, shoulder, cranial, arm and back pain by shutting off muscle activity and allowing the overworked muscles to relax.