Day: August 16, 2017

Dental Care

Symptoms and Causes of TMJ Disorder

TMJ disorder is a painful condition. It refers to a problem in temporomandibular joint or jaw joint which severely affects the jaw, neck, head & face. TMJ issues are identified with chronic pain and difficulty in swallowing and talking. The worse is TMJ conditions often go unnoticed. Thus, the post below offers a brief on the major symptoms of the disorder so that you can reach for a tmj treatment on time.

The major symptoms of TMJ disorder to stay aware of-

  • Tenderness and pain around cheek, jaw, neck and ears
  • Migraine attack or severe headache
  • Stiffness or pain in jaws
  • Clicking, grating or popping jaw
  • Locking jaws
  • Pain sensation while chewing
  • Change in facial expression
  • Fatigued face
  • Neck, face and shoulder pain
  • Pain behind eyes
  • Ear stuffiness or ear aches
  • Numbness in arms or fingers

So, what causes the TMJ disorder?

There are myriad factors that can lead to problems in temporomandibular joint. These factors are:

  • Injury in neck or jaw region. Whiplash is one of the major reasons behind TMJ disorder.
  • Sleep disorders leading to breathing issues which happen from collapsed airway that blocks breathing while you are asleep.
  • Arthritis, irrespective of the joint it has affected.
  • Erosion or dislocation of a joint
  • Problems in bite alignment
  • Poor dentistry issues like improper placement of fillings or crowns

If you sense the symptoms mentioned above, don’t take them lightly. Untreated TMJ conditions can leaf to unbearable pain, badly affecting your normal active life. Thus, you should consider seeing a dentist in case you find yourself or a near one in such situations. A lot of people go to ENT as TMJ issues are characterized by ear stuffiness but since the problem stems from the jaw- you should better consult a dentist.

A reliable dentist will run some painless test to diagnose your level of TMJ disorder. The most common test here is Ultrasound/Doppler. The other related tests are x-rays, muscle palpation as well as a number of motion tests.

There is a wide range of treatment therapies that the dentists use to treat a TMJ condition. The most popular of these are Splint therapy, T.E.N.S., E.G.S, spray & stretch therapy as well as trigger point therapy. In mild cases, hot & cold compress therapy is also used to redress TMJ disorders.

Dental

What Does Restorative Dentistry Actually Mean?

A relatively new term is used these days in dentistry and this causes some degree of confusion among patients. When talking about restorative dentistry we basically refer to everything associated with dental restorations. The treatments covered include dental crowns, implants, fillings, canals, bridges and a whole lot more. In an ideal scenario, the patient recovers proper dental function and gets a much more attractive smile.

The focus of restorative dentistry is put on tooth replacement and repair when the tooth is defective, damaged or decayed. It is the cosmetic nature of some of the procedures that creates confusion among patients. With restorative procedures we are faced with a medical need, not just a cosmetic desire. At the same time, it does include treatments that can prevent the appearance of dental disease.

Why Restorative Dentistry?

These procedures reduce tooth pain, sensitivity and discomfort while improving function during chewing and biting. Oral health receives long term benefits and the smile ends up being more vibrant and attractive.

If dental problems are not treated, they do become worse as time passes. Conditions that initially affected a single tooth can cause problems in the entire mouth after some time. Restorative treatment has to be considered as soon as possible because of this reason. Healthy teeth are basically saved from being faced with permanent, long term damage.

When Should You Consider Restorative Dentistry?

You want to consider restorative dentistry when you have some tooth flaws. The common ones are the following:

  • Missing teeth
  • Fractured or cracked teeth
  • Root canal infections
  • Stained teeth that cannot be whitened
  • Decayed teeth
  • Misshapen teeth
  • Teeth with enamel that is too worn

Dental restoration is possible for people of all ages. However, if oral surgery is required it is important to be in a good overall health and the dentist is going to make sure that there are no medical issues that are going to increase complication risks.

Common Procedures In Restorative Dentistry

There are so many treatments that are included in restorative dentistry. Those that are very common are:

  • Dental fillings – tooth-colored fillings are preferred in order to restore teeth that are damaged.
  • Porcelain onlays and inlays– they will repair and straighten molars.
  • Dental crowns – they are going to repair the teeth when there is simply not enough structure to use any of the above two mentioned procedures. Crowns are also utilized in order to anchor bridges or restore a tooth that went through a root canal procedure.
  • Dental composite bonding – resin material will be matched to the tooth color of the patient so that original chipped tooth dimensions are restored.
  • Porcelain veneers – these cover many minor flaws like cracks, permanent discolorations and chips.
  • Bridges – dental prosthetics that can replace lost teeth. Crowns are used to keep bridges in place.
  • Dental implants – titanium implants that are put directly into the jawbone so they would fuse with bone as healing happens. Porcelain crowns are added with the purpose of replacing lost teeth.
  • Dentures – these are meant to help people that have an extensive tooth loss.