Exercises to Help Treat TMJ Pain

Pain in your jaw can make eating, talking, and even smiling difficult. When our patients are suffering from TMJ dysfunction, we have treatments that can help here at Lehigh Valley Smiles in Easton, PA. There are also some lifestyle changes you can make like doing jaw exercises to help with pain and stiffness.

There are several exercises that can help relax your jaw, relieve pain, and allow you more range of motion. There are a few of them listed here. Remember that these exercises are supposed to help, so if they make the pain or stiffness worse, do not continue doing them.

• For a tight jaw, the exercise can help. Close your mouth and place your hand on the right side of your mouth. Gently and slowly push your lower jaw into your hand. Do this a few times on each side.


• To help relax your jaw, use this smiling exercise. Smile as wide as you can with your mouth open about two inches. Hold this smile for a few deep breaths and then relax. Do this exercise several times until you feel your jaw and facial muscles relax.


• TMJ dysfunction can be especially frustrating when you cannot open your mouth very far. To improve your jaw’s range of motion, gently open your mouth as far as you can without pain a few times in the morning and a few times at night. After doing this every day you will begin to notice you can open your mouth wider and wider little by little.

TMJ pain and stiffness may cause some frustration in your life but fortunately, there are ways to treat it. To schedule an appointment with Lehigh Valley Smiles in Easton, PA, call our office at (610) 252-7414 or visit our website, www.lehighvalleysmiles.net. 

TMJ Pain and What We Can Do

TMJ pain can affect how you eat, what you eat, and it can affect many of your daily activities. At Lehigh Valley Smiles in Easton, PA, we have recognized many of our patients’ TMJ issues and work with them to relieve the symptoms and pain.

TMJ pain is often referred to as TMD (temporomandibular joint dysfunction). A cause of TMD is not exactly pinpointed; however, there are certain things that can trigger pain. Common symptoms of TMD include a swollen and painful jaw joint, sore jaw and facial muscles, clicking in the jaw, difficulty chewing, ear pain, headaches, and the locking of your jaw. The jaw is responsible for so much including eating, talking, smiling, laughing, and showing emotion. This is part of why TMD is such a frustrating condition to live with.

Fortunately, here in our Easton, PA dental practice we are trained in recognizing TMD and can offer our patients relief. Through guidance, pain relief tips, and possibly a night guard, we can make sure TMD isn’t a daily interrupter.

If you are suffering with jaw pain, make sure to schedule an appointment with us. To schedule at Lehigh Valley Smiles in Easton, PA, call us at (610) 252-7414 or visit our website, www.lehighvalleysmiles.net. 

Night Guards from Dr. Alan Dilsaver

At our practice in Easton, PA, we see many patients who suffer from bruxism, or teeth grinding. While many people who grind their teeth do so consciously throughout the day, even more grind their teeth at night while sleeping. Bruxism can cause damage to your enamel, as well as cause jaw pain, headaches and gum irritation, so it is important to treat it. Night guards are usually the best way to prevent grinding’s negative effects.

Similar to mouth guards worn by athletes during sports, night guards provide a barrier between your top and bottom teeth while you sleep. By reducing wear to your teeth and making it harder for you to grind, your teeth will be healthier and you will feel better overall. Dr. Alan Dilsaver provides night guards that are custom made in our lab to provide a fit that is as comfortable as possible. All we require is an impression of your teeth. These guards are very durable and can last for up to 10 years.

If you find yourself frequently waking up with headaches or pain in your jaw, it is very possible that you grind in your sleep. Often those who do not treat their bruxism end up with TMD, which can lead to a change in the appearance of your face. To diagnose and treat your night grinding at Lehigh Valley Smiles, call (610) 252-7414 to schedule an appointment. For more information, please visit www.lehighvalleysmiles.net. 

TMJ

TMJ is an abbreviation for temporomandibular joint, which is the joint that connects your mandible (lower jaw) to your skull at the temporal bone. While many call disorders associated with this joint TMJ, those disorders are more appropriately called TMD (temporomandibular disorder), and TMD can have symptoms that range from teeth grinding and headaches to trouble chewing and pain when opening and closing your mouth. TMD is not only an annoying disorder; it is also a destructive one and can cause serious damage to your teeth if left untreated. Here at Lehigh Valley Smiles, Dr. Alan Dilsaver can determine if you suffer from TMD and offer ways to treat the disorder.

The TMJ controls an assortment of jaw functions, including chewing, so if you’re chewing muscles or the joint itself is in pain, it is possible that you have TMD. TMD is often caused by stress, which leads to unconscious clenching and teeth grinding while awake and asleep. TMD’s symptoms include pain, trouble chewing, lock jaw, headaches or ear pain and a popping or clicking sound when opening your mouth. However, these symptoms may be indicative of other health problems as well, so it is important to see a medical professional for a diagnosis.

Grinding your teeth is an especially worrisome TMD-associated behavior since it can lead to further problems with your mouth. If your teeth grinding is left unaddressed, you will cause serious wear to the enamel of your teeth and expose the dentin, which will make your teeth more sensitive to heat and cold and more susceptible to decay. However, you can work with Dr. Dilsaver to relieve symptoms with mouthguards or nightguards.

If you think that you might be suffering from TMD or teeth grinding in Easton, PA, schedule an appointment with our office by calling (610) 252-7414. For more information, visit www.LehighValleySmiles.com.

TMJ

TMJ is an abbreviation for temporomandibular joint, which is the joint that connects your mandible (lower jaw) to your skull at the temporal bone. While many call disorders associated with this joint TMJ, those disorders are more appropriately called TMD (temporomandibular disorder), and TMD can have symptoms that range from teeth grinding and headaches to trouble chewing and pain when opening and closing your mouth. TMD not only an annoying disorder; it is also a destructive one and can cause serious damage to your teeth if left untreated. Here at Lehigh Valley Smiles, Dr. Alan Dilsaver can determine if you suffer from TMD and offer ways to treat the disorder.

The TMJ controls an assortment of jaw functions, including chewing, so if you’re chewing muscles or the joint itself is in pain, it is possible that you have TMD. TMD is often caused by stress, which leads to unconscious clenching and teeth grinding while awake and asleep. TMD’s symptoms include pain, trouble chewing, lock jaw, headachess or ear pain and a popping or clicking sound when opening your mouth. However, these symptoms may be indicative of other health problems as well, so it is important to see a medical professional for a diagnosis.

Grinding your teeth is an especially worrisome TMD-associated behavior since it can lead to futher problems with your mouth. If your teeth grinding is left unaddressed, you will cause serious wear to the enamel of your teeth and expose the dentin, which will make your teeth more sensitive to heat and cold and more susceptible to decay. However, you can work with Dr. Dilsaver to relieve symptoms with mouthguards or nightguards.

If you think that you might be suffering from TMD or teeth grinding in Easton, PA, schedule an appointment with our office by calling (610) 252-7414. For more information, visitwww.LehighValleySmiles.com.