‘Tis the season for eating lots of food! Whether you are trying grandma’s turkey or chewing on your neighbor’s Christmas treats, many patients find their teeth struggling to keep up with the demands of the season.
Some instances of jaw pain can be cured with a moderate diet, time, and effective dental cleaning. However, if your jaw pain feels relentless or chronic, contact Bridge Creek Dental to address your jaw pain concerns.
How Jaw Pain Treatment Works
Our dental team will first use our imaging tools to spot signs of inflammation or distress. Depending on the results from our dental scan, we will point to the form of care that will ideally fit your particular needs.
Many patients with this concern find themselves with temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD or TMJ disorder), which causes chronic jaw dysfunction in the joint that connects your upper and lower jaws.
How To Combat TMJ Disorder
Most individuals with chronic jaw pain find themselves diagnosed with TMD. Based on the initial dental scan, our dental team will suggest the following materials to provide relief to your smile.
Oral Appliances
TMJ disorder often occurs when patients habitually place unnecessary stress on their teeth. This circumstance can occur because of genetics or poor dental habits such as bruxism.
Oral appliances are used to train your teeth to gradually reduce the strain on your jaw and smile. These appliances are adjusted to your specific needs and are consistently adjusted to be as quick and effective as possible.
Exercise and Relaxation Techniques
In some cases, our dentist may find that your jaw merely needs a slight adjustment to reduce your jaw pain. Similar to a session with a chiropractor, we will try safe and quick adjustments to help strengthen your smile.
These techniques allow your jaw and the rest of your smile complete flexibility, which strengthens and fortifies the area against current and future jaw pain.
Medication
Bridge Creek Dental offers medication to assist in reducing jaw strain and pain that comes from TMJ disorder. Our dental team can prescribe dental medication specific to your particular needs. This medication may be used in addition or solely as a treatment option.
Orthodontic Treatment
Orthodontic treatment may also be suggested to fight TMD, particularly if the patient is dealing with a misaligned bite. Bridge Creek Dental happily offers Invisalign® aligners to better assist with minor over or underbites.
Invisalign aligners are entirely transparent, allowing patients to receive the help that they need without sacrificing their natural smile. These tools are also flexible to your busy schedule and provide minimal trips to the dentist’s office. Call our office to learn more about how Invisalign clear aligners can help your look!
Over-the-Counter Remedies for Jaw Pain
Managing jaw pain while the treatment takes place is simple with the help of common tools and habits.
- Pain Reliever Medication: Medication such as Ibuprofen or Advil can eliminate pain for patients for up to six hours.
- Ice Packs: Applying an ice pack to the source of your pain can reduce the amount of inflammation around your smile.
- Reduce Stress: Anxious behaviors are often tied to TMJ disorder pain. Taking care of your mental health can be critical to reduce jaw pain in the future.
- Avoid Hard Foods: Hard foods can easily agitate your jaw and other areas of your mouth. Be sure to watch your diet to avoid foods that trigger unnecessary pain.
Eliminate Jaw Pain with Bridge Creek Dental
Find immediate care for chronic jaw pain just in time for the holidays. Bridge Creek Dental is happy to offer TMD/TMJ disorder treatment for patients in the Billings, MT, area. Contact our board-certified dentists today to get started on your first appointment!