While many people suffer from TMD, or Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, not many people actually understand it. The trouble is that the TMD, or even the misnomer TMJ, is a blanket term for a wide variety of disorders. Often, if headaches, jaw pain and facial pain are present in a disorder, it is labeled TMD. In fact, about 70% of the US population suffers from one form of TMD or another! Facial pain is very complex and not everything is related to occlusion, or your bite, the TMD most frequently diagnosed by dentists.
Common Misconceptions About TMD
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TMD refers to symptoms. The term for your facial and jaw pain is TMD, not TMJ. You have TWO TMJs – the joints in your jaw. TMD is a disorder of or pain in or near those joints.
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True migraines are usually not caused by TMD. If you do not have an aura, you are probably not suffering from a migraine, no matter how severe or disabling your pain might be.
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Not all oral appliances are created equal. The usual “nightguard” that is fabricated in most dental offices will not be completely effective to release muscle pain. Appliances must also be adjusted as treatment progresses and the muscles adapt and change.
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TMD is not the only cause of jaw pain. Jaw pain may be caused by tooth or gum problems, as well as a wide variety of other problems. To really know why your jaw hurts, an individualized diagnosis is critical.
Disorders Associated with TMD
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Cervical Disk Damage
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Certain Cancers
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Temporal arteritis
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Bell’s Palsy
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Fibromyalgia
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Malocclusion
Malocclusion is the most typical cause of TMD and the most easily corrected. Dr. Todd Davis has special training to help discover and diagnose your occlusal TMD and help you find much-needed relief.
The Necessity of Individual Diagnosis
There is quite a bit of disagreement in the dental field about what form of TMD can and cannot be helped by dentistry. Because so many diseases are categorized as TMD, individual diagnosis by a trained dentist is absolutely crucial. If you are suffering from headaches or jaw pain and wonder if your problem might be TMD, please call Dr. Todd Davis at his Buckhead Dental office. Your pain may be a result of malocclusion, and easily treated. Don’t live another day with preventable pain – call today!