When you think of improving and maintaining your oral health, it goes beyond the cleanings and checkups each year. It also has to do with how your mouth functions. Occlusion issues, or the way your teeth come together, is related to the way your jaw works.
The temporomandibular joint is the hinged area where your jaw meets your skull. If this area becomes misaligned or diseased, your oral health suffers. Known as temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), this complication can cause occlusion problems and a range of other symptoms including:
TMJ disorder often goes undiagnosed for too long, as patients seek relief from other medical professionals, assuming the symptoms are caused by non-dental related illnesses. If you suspect TMJ disorder as a likely cause of your symptoms, ask Dr. Adams for a consultation.
At Blackhawk Dental Care, we believe in the concept of centric relation. This theory suggests that there is one “perfect” position in which your jaw should be aligned so that the joints, nerves and muscles all function correctly and comfortably. This position can be applied to any patient, regardless of current health or dental status. We locate the centric relation position for our TMJ patients, as it relieves discomfort and reduces stress on the joint. Our bite splint therapy help to keep the jaw in centric relation position.
Symptoms of TMJ can be painful, and Blackhawk Dental Care wants to help you find relief. We employ splint management to stop the negative effects of TMJ disorder. Our bite splints are custom-made hard acrylic and are fit to your individual needs. These splints reduce the amount of stress on the temporomandibular joint and stop muscle tension. When you wear the bite splint, your jaw is aligned to the ideal position, providing relief from pain and discomfort caused by pressure on the jaw joint.
Don’t suffer any longer. Get relief from TMJ/TMD now with bite splint therapy from Dr. Brian Adams and the dedicated team at Blackhawk Dental Care. We’ll help you achieve the perfect smile!
