Patients do call me with TMJ problems. Sometimes they are having pain. Sometimes they having pain in their forehead. Sometimes it’s intense pain. I have a patient recently drive one hour and come to me because, sometimes, I do night guard. Sometimes I do Botox, which is a quick fix for the TMJ. Also, I look at the whole picture. If their teeth are not straight, and they have very heavy [inaudible 00:00:35] then I would do Invisalign, and straighten their teeth, and that addresses some of the issues that the patient’s having with the TMJ. There are a couple of options you can do with the TMJ.
Stop Your Pain So You Can Get Back to Your Normal Activities
Your TMJs typically go overlooked until these joints become inflamed and irritated. At this point, you can experience significant pain in your jaw, neck, and head. You then need to seek treatment from a professional who is trained in treating TMD. Dr. Zia and our team will isolate what is causing your pain so we can provide the best treatment for you. Your options could include:
- A Custom TMJ Appliance – We’ll take digital impressions and send the specifications to our lab partner who will craft an appliance just for your mouth. Once we receive the appliance, you’ll come back for a fitting to make sure it’s comfortable and does its job correctly.
- Botox® – As another treatment option, we can inject Botox into your jaw muscles to keep them from moving so much. Botox temporarily paralyzes the muscles so you feel less pain. Treatment may need to be repeated every few months.
We can use either or both of these treatments, depending on which one you respond to better. Our mission is for you to a have pain-free jaw and neck area.
Call Smiles & Dental Care today at 703-596-1529 to get started with TMJ treatment in McLean. You can also make an appointment online.