Find out if your jaw pain could be due to a TMJ disorder.
Do you wake up in the morning with jaw pain? Does your jaw often feel stiff and difficult to move? Has our Tallahassee, FL dentists, Dr. 
James Walton III and Dr. David Cardman, discovered that you are a teeth grinder or jaw clencher? If so, then your symptoms could be due to a TMJ disorder. But what is this condition and how can we treat your symptoms?
What is TMJ Syndrome?
The temporomandibular joint is the joint that connects your jaws to your skull. If something happens to the joint it can cause a jaw disorder known as temporomandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome.
There are many reasons why a TMJ disorder may manifest itself, from a dental injury and misaligned teeth to teeth grinding and stress. If you have TMJ syndrome then you may notice one or more of the symptoms below:
- An audible popping or clicking coming from the jaws (particularly when opening or closing the jaws)
- Jaw joint pain and stiffness
- Earache and headaches
- Temple pain
- Locking of the jaws
How is it treated?
Even if you have TMJ syndrome you will be happy to know that it often responds quite well to conservative at-home remedies. Some patients may not even need to do anything as the condition might resolve on its own. If you would like ways to manage your symptoms our Tallahassee general dentist may recommend trying these simple solutions:
- Icing the sore, painful jaw joints
- Staying away from chewing gum or foods that require you to open your mouth too wide
- Cutting food into chewable, bite-sized pieces
- Massaging the jaw joints
- Performing stretching exercises for the jaw and neck
- Reducing and managing your stress
If your symptoms persist even after weeks of care then it’s time to talk to us about other methods such as dental splints, physical therapy or dental restorations that might be more beneficial to treating your condition.
Don’t let a TMJ disorder affect your daily life. We understand how miserable jaw pain can be. Face the issue head on by calling our dentists James F. Walton III, DDS & David W. Cardman, DMD in Tallahassee, FL for a consultation.