Posted: March 15, 2023
Does your jaw click or pop while you’re eating? If so, you may have become accustomed to it, but you should probably know that these sensations are not something that just happen. In fact, if your jaw is clicking or popping when you bite or chew, it’s likely symptomatic of a much larger problem.
Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) is a condition that occurs when the jaw joint becomes injured or inflamed due to trauma, disease, or degenerative bone disorders. One of its most common symptoms is clicking or popping noises in the jaw. These may be accompanied by both acute and sustained discomfort, swelling around the jaw joint, and locking of the jaw muscles, but it is not uncommon for jaw clicking to be the sole symptom of TMD.
Even when it is the only symptom of TMD, it is important to bring the issue of jaw clicking to our attention. Left unchecked, TMD can result in a range of seemingly disparate symptoms, including chronic headaches, nasal and sinus pain, digestive distress, and changes to posture. Dealing with the issue quickly is the best way to prevent these more serious consequences from occurring.
TMD Treatment Options
We offer personalized TMD treatments at our comfortable Manhattan office. This may include a customized orthotic device that can prevent bruxism while helping to train the jaw back into its optimal position. It may also include restorative and orthodontic options to correct a misaligned bite. Muscle relaxation with a TENS unit is sometimes used in combination with other therapies to relieve pain and help restore alignment to the jaw.
Another treatment option is BOTOX® Therapeutic, which temporarily blocks muscle contractions to restore comfort and allow the jaw to realign. BOTOX has been used for decades to treat migraine pain and is equally effective at preventing discomfort caused by tensed muscles in the jaw. BOTOX may also prevent jaw clenching and teeth grinding, helping you avoid additional damage for up to four months at a time.
At NYC Smile Design, we consider the underlying cause of TMD to ensure we provide the safest and most effective treatments. If your jaw clicks or pops when you are eating, give us a call at 212-452-3344 to schedule your physiologic dentistry evaluation right away.
