When you find yourself in the middle of having a toothache, the pain it causes can interfere with a your daily activities like eating and sleeping. When you have TMJ disorder, the multitude of overall effects can seriously impact several aspects of your daily life. TMJ disorder, short for temporomandibular joint disorder, is a dysfunction in one or both of the joints of your jaw. Your temporomandibular joints control your jaw’s ability to open and close for chewing, biting, and speaking. TMJ disorder is one of the more consequential dental health issues causing a long list of symptoms that may not even seem related to your oral health.
What Is Caused By TMJ Disorder?
TMJ disorder is a general term that can describe a wide variety of specific conditions affecting the joints of your jaw. These conditions can include misalignment, inflamed cartilage, a displaced joint, arthritis of the joints, pain, chronic headaches, and more. Issues with your jaw can make it difficult for you to bite and chew comfortably. It can also lead to chronic jaw pain, a popping and clicking in your jaw, chronic headaches, and a grinding of your teeth. Interestingly enough, TMJ disorder can cause bruxism (the grinding of your teeth) and it can also be caused by it.
Effects On Your Smile
When your jaw opens and closes, your joints work in tandem. When the joints are affected by TMJ disorder, it can limit your bite’s ability to work efficiently and comfortably. If TMJ disorder causes you to start grinding your teeth while you sleep, you can also face the negative effects of bruxism. The friction caused by the grinding your teeth can cause fractures of your teeth that leave your smile susceptible to breakage and tooth decay. The longer that TMJ disorder is left untreated, the more likely it is to negatively affect your bite. These negative effects can require more extensive treatment.
TMJ disorder can be treated
Talk to Dr. Carmona if you think you have TMJ disorder. To schedule a consultation at Austin Prosthodontics, call 512-250-9444. We also proudly welcome patients from Cedar Park, Round Rock, Pflugerville, Leander, and all surrounding Texas communities.
