Managing Stress to Help Your Jaw Rest

When you wake up in the morning, do you feel fabulous?  Or do you have a painful aching jaw?  Sore, sensitive teeth?  A stiff neck? Tension or Morning Headaches?  These problems can sometimes be treated by us because they are most likely caused by clenching and grinding your teeth together when you’re sleeping and occasionally throughout the day.

TMJ Disorder is so common in our culture, that we automatically evaluate our patients for it – with a goal of stopping the problem, protecting your teeth from further damage, and correcting any underlying bite malfunctions.  A little extra stress,  change in your life,  extra fatigue, and you may temporarily knock your whole jaw system out of balance.  The resulting TMJ disorder can cause a wide variety of mild to severe symptoms, from jaw clicking and popping and mild discomfort, to sharp pain in your temple, ear, jaw and/or teeth.  Eventually, your teeth may even become worn down and destroyed.  It can also ‘lock’ your jaw open, or even dislocate your jaw altogether.  Muscle soreness in your head and neck, and chronic headaches, often as severe as migraines, may also be common.

Please let us know if you are experiencing or have experienced any of these symptoms so we can assist you in possibly correcting some of the disorders and preventing permanent damage to your body.  We do offer a variety of treatments that are custom designed for your specific needs – different grinding or clenching treatments.  Most treatments, for example a bite guard, are designed to suppress the muscle contractions that cause these painful problems, and help to maximize your comfort.  And best of all, generally, you will feel some relief within just a few hours!

“You guys are all so sweet, considerate, and helpful.  Thanks for bending over backwards for me.”  - Shea