A TMD can be brought on by a multitude of factors, but the most common tends to be stress, injury to the joint, arthritis, and a misaligned bite.
The most common symptoms of TMD are:
When diagnosing a TMD, the first step is to take a look at your teeth and see if there are any signs of grinding. TMD can cause the jaw muscles to constantly make small adjustments, which forces the teeth to rub together. We’ll then test the mobility of your jaw and take a variety of scans and X-rays to look at the condition of the joint itself.
Once we have determined the root cause of your TMD, we can then prescribe treatment. This may be as simple as doing a few stretches to loosen up your jaw throughout the day or something more involved like the ones outlined below.
If your TMD is brought on by a misalignment of the bite, then the simple solution is to make sure the teeth come together properly. How can we do that? By slightly reshaping a few key teeth. This will enable them to come together in a way that allows the jaw joint to reach its natural resting position. This should relieve any TMD-associated pain as well as ease muscle tension. We can typically accomplish this just by removing a few millimeters of enamel, meaning this treatment won’t affect the appearance of the teeth.
An occlusal splint is a custom-made orthopedic mouthpiece we can prescribe a TMD-patient to wear to bed each night. It will gently shift the jaw into a more natural, relaxed position to help resolve any TMD-related pain. It can also help protect the teeth from unconscious grinding. Eventually, the jaw will become familiar with this newer, healthier position, and a patient should be able to go about their day symptom free.
The simple answer is yes; TMJ treatment in Naples is generally considered very safe, provided that it is performed by a trained expert. It should be noted that surgical treatments for TMJ disorder are available, but they inherently come with a certain level of risk. As such, it’s highly recommended that you first try non-surgical solutions such as equilibration or an occlusal splint; surgery is generally only recommended if you’re unable to find relief with more conservative options.
When you receive an occlusal splint for your TMJ disorder, you’ll typically be instructed to wear it every night. It’s not unusual to start noticing an improvement in your symptoms shortly after you start using the appliance, and many patients experience a significant difference after about six weeks. That said, you may need to wear your occlusal splint for as long as three to six months before you’re able to achieve full relief.
It's important to bear in mind that the length of your treatment is not set in stone. The amount of time that you need to wear your occlusal splint can vary significantly depending on the specifics of your unique situation.
The equilibration process can usually be completed in about one to three appointments. The exact number of visits can vary based on the number of teeth involved as well as other factors. A single equilibration appointment can often be completed in roughly 30 to 60 minutes.
Once the process is complete and your bite is properly aligned, it likely won’t be too long before you’re able to experience the relief you deserve.
While the idea of having your teeth reshaped may make you nervous, you can rest assured that equilibration is generally a painless procedure. We may not even need to numb your mouth with a local anesthetic for the treatment, although we can certainly still do so if necessary.
After your equilibration, your mouth may be somewhat sore for a while. Fortunately, the discomfort should only be temporary, and you should be able to keep it under control with pain medication.
Some insurance companies will not help pay for TMJ treatment at all unless they are required to by the state. That being said, some plans do offer some level of coverage for procedures that are meant to address issues related to the TMJ. It’s important to bear in mind that while TMJ disorder can be treated by a dentist, it is considered a medical condition instead of a dental one. Consequently, it can potentially be covered by medical or dental insurance depending on your provider.
Remember to double-check your insurance benefits to make sure you fully understand your coverage before you begin your TMJ treatment. You can always call your insurance provider if there’s anything you don’t fully understand about your plan.
