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TMJ Dentistry

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Suffering from Jaw Pain, Migraines or a Clicking Jaw?

TMJ & Neuromuscular Dentistry Can Help

Do you suffer from frequent headaches, pain in your neck, shoulders, or jaw, a clicking or popping sound when you move your jaw, or ringing in your ears (tinnitus)? In many cases, these symptoms are tied to temporomandibular joint syndrome or disorder, referred to as TMD or TMJ. This is caused by misalignment of the joint in the lower jaw.
“I’m so relieved to finally have a TMJ diagnosis thanks to Dr. Kamboh. I’d been having symptoms for years and went to different doctors but they never suggested TMJ. Dr. Kamboh finally helped me get the treatment I needed.

Malik, Ashburn, VA

After feeling pain and tension in his jaw throughout his adulthood, Malik thought maybe he was grinding his teeth. “I tried one of those over-the-counter mouthguards that you wear at night, but it didn’t help,” he said.

Finally, a friend suggested he see a dentist and recommended Dr. Kamboh. “Dr. Kamboh was a true professional. After an exam and some x-rays, he knew what was going on with my jaw. The bad bite that had settled in during my teenage years was causing my TMJ stress.”

Dr. Kamboh and Malik worked together to construct his treatment program. Through the use of an oral appliance, Dr. Kamboh was able to gently shift Malik’s bite into the proper position, ensuring the TMJ would no longer be under pressure.

“Dr. Kamboh’s treatment really worked, and for the first time in a long time, I’m pain-free. Thank you Dr. Kamboh!”

Neuromuscular dentistry, performed in a TMJ dentist office, can alleviate many of these symptoms.

TMJ refers to the temporomandibular joint, which is the joint connecting the lower jaw to the skull. It must be aligned precisely in order to allow a full range of motion, including movements up and down, side to side and front to back. This joint can become misaligned as a result of natural degeneration, injury, disease, or poor dental work.
When the jaw is misaligned, the tissues rub together in ways that they are not supposed to, causing a wide range of symptoms. Symptoms of TMJ include tooth grinding, soreness or pain in the jaw, a jaw that ‘locks’ or ‘clicks,’ trouble chewing, and headaches or neck aches. This is a chronic, degenerative disease, often taking years to develop.
TMJ treatment includes moving the jaw into its optimal position, correcting the bite and realigning the jaw. While traditional dentistry focuses on the teeth, gums, and jaw bone, neuromuscular dentistry focuses on the muscles, nerves, and other tissues affecting how your jaw moves.

First, the TMJ dentist measures the head and neck muscles to determine the optimal position of the jaw.

Then, the jaw is repositioned to achieve this alignment. Those who visit a TMJ dentist office often experience decreased or eliminated discomfort after their jaw has been realigned. This treatment may be accompanied by orthodontics, custom-fitted retainers to control tooth grinding, reconstructive dental work, and other treatments for malocclusion, or a bad bite.
We look forward to serving you, so for any questions on TMJ dentistry or to schedule an appointment, please contact our office, and a member of our team will be glad to help you.

Common FAQs on TMJ Dentistry

One of the first people to notice or diagnose a TMJ disorder is usually your dentist. However, your family physician, an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist, or an oral surgeon can also diagnose and treat your TMJ. 

TMJ symptoms can range from mild to severe and include pain in the jaw, aching pain around the ear, and difficulty or pain when eating. In severe cases, the jaw can lock, which makes it hard to open and close your mouth.

TMJ isn’t life threatening, but if it’s not treated, it can cause pretty persistent discomfort and tension in and around your jaw. It’s also possible that the affected joints could become inflamed, and there may even be damage to your teeth.

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