Does your jaw click and pop every time you move it? Has it ever been “stuck” while opening or closing? Have you been to multiple doctors about your persistent headaches, and none of them can figure out what is causing them? Often, these painful symptoms can all be caused by a strained or injured TMJ, or temporomandibular joint, which is the joint that connects your jaw to the rest of your head. A TMJ disorder, or TMD, is one of the most common causes of chronic jaw, head, and facial pain in the U.S., and it’s something we help patients overcome every day here with TMJ therapy in Boca Raton, FL.
While the causes of TMD can be quite wide ranging, the most common tend to be stress, strain, injury to the joint, arthritis, or a misaligned bite. If a patient exhibits or reports any issues that could be TMD, we will use a number of tests and scans to get to the root of the problem. Once we understand what is actually causing the pain, we can offer a patient a number of proven treatment options, including:
Sometimes, a misalignment of the teeth can prevent the bite from coming together properly, meaning that the facial muscles are never able to fully relax. This can lead to tension that soon turns into pain. With an equilibration/occlusal adjustment, we simply reshape a few key teeth so that they’re able to close correctly, allowing the muscles to reach their natural resting position, which should help any pain go away.
Since TMJ disorder can be treated in various ways, it’s only natural to have a few questions about the process. At your initial visit, Dr. Lamberti will carefully listen to your concerns, and they’ll take the time to explain the services we offer in as much detail as possible. And of course, you can always reach out to our office if there’s anything you want to know about our TMJ-related services. Here are answers to some of the questions that we’ve often heard in the past.
A TMJ disorder can be cured, but it’s important to remember that not all treatments offer permanent relief by themselves. Occlusal adjustments allow us to reshape your bite so that your jaw joints aren’t exposed to as much pressure.
You’ll need to check with your insurance company to see if they’ll help pay for your TMJ therapy. Many insurance plans may not include TMJ coverage at all, and those that do might have rules about the kinds of procedures that are included.
Also, while some types of TMJ therapy can only be provided by dental professionals, the TMJ is a joint and is therefore not exclusively related to dental health. Consequently, TMJ treatment can fall under either medical insurance or dental insurance.
Our practice accepts a variety of dental plans, and one of our team members will be happy to go over your benefits with you if you’re not sure what your coverage for TMJ treatment looks like.