Stop the Painful Cycle of Stress and TMJ Disorder

TMJ disorder can be not just painful, but it can interfere with your daily life. This can cause stress, which is a trigger for TMJ symptoms, which creates an ugly cycle of stress and pain. Your dentist at 7 Dental in Phoenix, AZ understands how uncomfortable this condition can be and has the expertise on how to help relieve it.

TMJ Disorder shouldn’t go untreated

The temporomandibular joint is located just below each of the ears. It is a sliding hinge that connects the jaw to the skull. When the TMJ shifts out of alignment, it can cause some trauma to the jaw and affect how you speak, chew, yawn, and laugh. Common effects of TMJ disorder, or TMD, include:

• Lockjaw
• Headaches
• A clicking sound when you open your mouth
• Soreness, stiffness, and tension in the jaw, neck, and shoulder
• Earache

If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s important to contact your dentist at 7 Dental as soon as possible to prevent the condition from worsening.

Teeth grinding and jaw clenching make it worse

Teeth grinding, or bruxism, occurs when your upper and lower teeth grind together. Because it usually occurs during sleep, you might not even realize that you’re doing it, which makes it challenging to stop.

The cycle created by stress and TMJ disorder

Stress is a great contributor to TMJ disorder. Just as you can find your body tensed up without realizing it in a moment of stress, your jaw can get stressed, too. Teeth grinding and jaw clenching can occur when you’re under stress, creating pain and muscle tension in the jaw, which in turn makes you stressed again.

Surprisingly simple TMJ solutions

A common solution for TMJ issues is to wear a mouthguard at night. This dental device keeps the upper and lower teeth separated so that teeth grinding doesn’t aggravate TMJ pain and the teeth are protected. Another treatment for TMJ disorder is a bite alignment treatment, which helps to improve the way your upper and lower teeth match up when you bite down. A fairly new treatment for TMJ is an injectable, which can help the jaw muscles to relax.

Get TMJ treatment now

If you’ve noticed muscle tension, tenderness, or pain in the jaw, contact 7 Dental in Phoenix, AZ to schedule an appointment for a consultation. Your dentist will be able to diagnose a TMJ disorder, if necessary, and recommend a treatment to relieve your discomfort. Failing to treat it can cause damage to the teeth and the joint.