Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) is caused by problems with the jaw, jaw joint, and the surrounding facial muscles that control chewing and jaw movement. TMJ refers to the temporomandibular joint, the joint that hinges your lower jaw to the temporal bone of your skull. Jaw joint pain, clicking or popping of the joint, and headaches are symptoms of a TMJ disorder.
TMJ & Headache Therapy in St. Marys
Be Free from Jaw Joint Pain and Headaches
Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) is caused by problems with the jaw, jaw joint, and the surrounding facial muscles that control chewing and jaw movement. TMJ refers to the temporomandibular joint, the joint that hinges your lower jaw to the temporal bone of your skull. Jaw joint pain, clicking or popping of the joint, and headaches are symptoms of a TMJ disorder.
Friendly, Experienced Professional Treatment
The first step in providing effective treatment is an accurate diagnosis. Our doctors have extensive experience with treating disorders of the jaw joint and jaw muscles and know exactly how to pinpoint the problem area. Jaw pain is nearly always caused by muscular problems rather than jaw joint problems. Our doctors check for TMD during new patient exams.
New Patient Consultation: Exam, X-Rays & Consultation
To help you find out if your headaches or other facial discomfort are caused by TMD, come in for a new patient exam, which includes TMD diagnostics and the following services:
- Functional exam: check TMJ joint, bite alignment, and functional analysis of your bite
- Structural exam: check each tooth for signs of decay, pitting, breakage, gaps between teeth, and grooves or notches near your gum line.
- Periodontal exam: gentle probing to check pocket depth between teeth and gums, evaluation of existing bone structure, screening for oral cancer
- Cosmetic exam: check how your teeth fit in your face, their size shape, condition, and position, smile evaluation, lip and gum dynamics
- Digital X-rays and external and intraoral photos as needed
- Discuss your goals for your dental health
- Consultation with the doctor
- Comprehensive treatment plan
Meet Our Doctors
Our doctors provide experienced, comprehensive care with kindness and compassion.
Sid Parker, DMD
Dr. Parker gets rave reviews from his patients and his peers. He is known for his kind and gentle touch, friendly, easy-going manner, and his genuine concern for his patients’ well-being. Many patients warmly address him as “Dr. Sid”, and others have called him their hero. He is often referred to as a “perfectionist” by patients and peers alike.
Jeff Pennington, DMD
While attending high school, Dr. Pennington worked at Radenco Dental Lab in Millen, Georgia. He continued to work at dental labs while pursuing his Bachelor of Science at Georgia Southern University, which reinforced his appreciation of the skilled craftsmanship that is required to create lifelike dental restorations.
Typical Symptoms of TMJ Disorder
Typical symptoms include:
- Headaches
- Toothaches
- Neck aches
- Earaches
- Upper shoulder pain
- Ringing in the ears
- Facial pain or tenderness around the jaw joint area
- Difficulty opening the mouth very wide
- Jaws that get “locked”
- Clicking, grating or popping sounds when opening and closing the mouth
- Difficulty chewing
Typical Symptoms of TMJ Disorder
Typical symptoms include:
- Headaches
- Toothaches
- Neck aches
- Earaches
- Upper shoulder pain
- Ringing in the ears
- Facial pain or tenderness around the jaw joint area
- Difficulty opening the mouth very wide
- Jaws that get “locked”
- Clicking, grating or popping sounds when opening and closing the mouth
- Difficulty chewing
Specialized Diagnosis
Your doctor will take panoramic X-rays that capture a 360° view of your mouth in a single image. With SICAT software, these images are animated to show the precise movement of your jaw when opening or chewing. This helps the doctor diagnose the alignment of your bite and the position of your teeth within your jaw.
Your doctor will examine the temporomandibular joints for pain or tenderness, listen for clicking, popping, or grating sounds during jaw movement, and look for limited motion or locking of the jaw while opening or closing the mouth. He will also examine your bite (how your teeth meet) and facial muscle function.
Kois Deprogrammer
Our doctors use the Kois Deprogrammer, a high-tech diagnostic tool, to help determine the cause of your discomfort. The dental appliance makes contact with your four lower incisors when you close your mouth, thereby reducing resistance when the lower jaw moves back and forth, as with teeth grinding. By reducing the intensity of contractions in the jaw muscle, teeth become aligned into the proper position.
This small plastic dental appliance is worn at night for a period of two weeks and allows your doctor to diagnose the proper position and stability of your bite. If your discomfort is being caused by jaw muscles problems rather than problems with your jaw joint, you will feel relief by using this device. At this point, your doctor will discuss treatment options with you. Every case is unique, and we always provide treatment plans that fit your individual needs.
Headaches and TMD
Tension in the jaw muscles caused by a misaligned bite can cause headaches, and in some cases, migraines. Treating the bite alignment problem usually leads to relief from headaches as well as facial aches and pains.
To make an appointment, call 912-616-5430 or request an appointment online.
