Daniel R. Melnick D.D.S

TMJ Dentist
TMJ Common Symptoms

Laurel, Columbia, Fulton, Silver Spring - Maryland

Laurel Lakes Cosmetic Dentistry is here to serve residents of Laurel, Maryland so that you don't have to live with TMJ symptoms. TMJ is often misdiagnosed or overlooked by doctors and patients because many of the symptoms are not what most people expect from dental problems.

Neck and Shoulder Pain

The muscles in your jaw work together with those in your neck, which in turn work with the muscle in your shoulders. When your bite is misaligned it strains your jaw muscles, causing a chain reaction through the muscles and into the neck and shoulder bones This is painful and can cause bad posture.

Correcting the alignment of your bite takes the strain off your jaw muscles, allowing them to return to their proper position. Then the neck and shoulders return to their normal, relaxed position as well.

Numbness in the Fingers and Arms

Muscle spasms in the face, jaw, neck and shoulders, caused by a misaligned bite, can affect a nerve bundle called the brachial plexus, which controls the arms and hands.

Correcting the alignment of your bite will relax the muscles and stop the spasms that pinch these nerves.

Locking/Limited Jaw Movement

A bite that is out of alignment can cause your jaw joint to get stuck, making it difficult to close your mouth. This may mean that you have to move your jaw slightly to one side before it will close.

• You may experience popping or clicking in your jaw
• You may find yourself not opening your mouth "too far" to prevent the problem from occurring

Correcting the alignment of your bite will allow your jaw joint to function smoothly and properly.

Headaches and Migraines

TMJ causes tension and vascular headaches because of the constant tightness in the muscles. You may grind your teeth, even while you sleep, and this also causes headaches. TMJ headaches are often misdiagnosed and treated as migraines.

Correcting the alignment of your bite will relax these constantly contracted muscles and stop the grinding, allowing the headaches to stop.

Jaw Pain

Jaw pain associated with TMJ can be a simple matter of soreness in the jaw muscles caused by the misalignment of your bite and the resulting tension, or it can be more serious. Over time as the pressure on your teeth and bones is misdirected by a poorly aligned bite, bones can start to wear away or build up sharp points causing severe pain.

Correcting the alignment of your bite will balance the pressure and relieve the muscle tension which causes pain. Any bone damage that may have occurred can only be properly treated after your bite has been corrected.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms in Laurel, Maryland, TMJ dentist Dr. Melnick can help. View our Before and After Gallery and read Testimonials from our patients, or contact us today for your initial TMJ consultation.