TMJ Solutions in Acacia Ridge

You may hear a clicking or popping sound when you open your mouth or chew. You likely are experiencing temporomandibular joint disorder or TMJ.

This disorder often affects the younger generation (those in their early 20s) due to nasal obstruction. It can be difficult to breathe through the nose due to conditions such as allergies. What that means is if you’re not getting enough air the brain sends signals to activate the cheek muscles, resulting in clenching. As people may be clenching for 8-10 hours a day issues can arise such as cracked teeth.

Common TMJ Symptoms

Here are some of the more common symptoms associated with TMJ:

• Popping or clicking of the jaw while opening the mouth
• Jaw pain when eating or yawning
• Pain or discomfort in the jaw
• Earaches or headaches
• Locking of the jaw

Getting to the Root

At Full Smile Dental, we seek to find the origin of the problem, not the symptomatic issues. So if you find, for example, that you practice good oral hygiene yet have multiple cavities or root canals, we’ll seek to find out why. We’ll also offer ways to avoid such issues in the future.

In addition to TMJ, sleep apnoea can be disruptive to one’s life. If it’s undiagnosed, this breathing disorder can affect your cardiovascular system. Dentists might be the first healthcare professional to diagnose sleep apnoea and refer the patient to a general practitioner for an evaluation.

Providing Effective Solutions

If you are experiencing TMJ symptoms, Dr Rangi can refer you to an ENT surgeon. She also can provide a temporary splint if you are in acute pain or TMJ appliance therapy. If you are experiencing nasal obstruction issues, she can offer a nasal liquid, which provides relief.

If you are experiencing TMJ symptoms, we want to help you get lasting relief. Contact our office today to book an appointment! We are a preferred provider for Medibank Private, Bupa and Smile.