TMJ Treatment – Houston, TX
Houston TMJ Expert
Do you wake up with sore and tired jaw muscles? Have you noticed that your jaw joints pop and click when you open and close your mouth, making basic tasks like eating uncomfortable? Dr. Tom Hall is an orthodontic specialist with advanced TMJ expertise and training who can help manage the discomfort caused by TMJ under control. Call our orthodontic office today to schedule a consultation and learn how we can ease your chronic jaw pain with TMJ treatment in Houston.
Why Choose Hall Orthodontics & TMJ for TMJ Treatment?
- An Orthodontist with Expertise in TMJ Treatment
- Complimentary First Examination to Assess Your Case
- Other TMJ treatments have not provided Relief
Symptoms of TMJ Disorder (TMD)
When your jaw joints are sustaining extra tension and pressure due to overworked muscles, bite misalignment, or tooth alignment issues, you may experience a wide range of symptoms that include some or all of the following:
- Pain, ringing, or fullness in and around the ear
- Chronic neck tension and headaches
- Migraines
- Limited opening of the mouth
- Clicking, popping, or crunching sounds when you open and close your mouth
- Tension in the muscles surrounding the jaw joints
- Jaw that has locked
- General pain in the jaw and area around the joints and in front of the ear
- Clenching and or grinding of the teeth at night
- You have tried wearing a night guard for relief While not every case of TMD requires extensive intervention, in those where it’s impacting your daily life by causing you chronic pain or routine discomfort, supervised treatment is necessary.
How Does an Orthodontist Treat TMD or TMJ Disorder?
At Hall Orthodontics & TMJ, we offer comprehensive treatment options for TMD. Dr. Hall has a proven treatment approach to this condition using a proprietary nighttime-only removable orthotic splint. TMD is caused by genetically programmed nighttime grinding and clenching. Tooth alignment and jaw alignment are also factors that can increase the TMD/TMJ symptoms and pain. To address the underlying cause of your discomfort, he offers some options to relieve muscle tension and night bruxing hyperactivity, including a proprietary intraoral splint or orthotic to help stabilize and relieve stress in the muscles and the jaw joints. Once muscles are functioning normally and comfortably, the patient can be evaluated for bite stabilization with orthodontics and other procedures. It is not necessary to wear the devices during the day, only at night. TMD should not require the patient to have all teeth capped or crowned, although this is one extreme treatment option being offered by some dentists. To learn which of our TMJ interventions will work best for your unique case, seek help today by scheduling a consultation with Dr. Hall.
TMJ Treatment FAQs
Here are some of the most common questions about TMJ treatment in Houston. If you have others or would like further clarification, don’t hesitate to contact our team for an appointment with Dr. Hall.
How Can Braces Help with TMD?
In addition to an occlusal splint, the oral appliance that eases jaw tension, orthodontic treatment including braces can reduce jaw pain by making sure the upper and lower teeth match up in a healthy way. When your bite is properly lined up, you not only have more efficient biting and chewing but also less strain on the jaw joint. As an orthodontist and TMJ specialist, Dr. Hall offers expertise in both of these areas, helping our patients achieve healthier, stronger smiles with less pain.
Do Certain Foods Make TMJ Issues Better or Worse?
If you struggle with TMJ pain, you should try to avoid foods that require hard chewing, such as crunchy chips and nuts, chewy candy, or even tender steak. These foods require more force from the jaw muscles, which can aggravate your condition. Softer foods can take the pressure off the muscles and jaw joint, offering you some relief temporarily. Making certain choices in your diet can help reduce the amount of work your jaw has to do to eat, potentially helping your symptoms.
Is Jaw Pain a Dental Emergency?
Normally, jaw pain and other TMD symptoms are uncomfortable but tolerable for a brief period of time. If it ever interferes with your capacity to eat or function, it needs to be addressed as soon as possible in an emergency visit. Otherwise, you should be able to schedule an appointment with our team at your convenience. In other words, it depends on you and your tolerance for your symptoms. We are always here to help when you need us.
What Can Make TMJ Pain Worse?
Certain habits in your lifestyle could be increasing your TMJ issues, crunching ice, chewing gum, slouching in your posture, resting on your chin, and more. These habits create more pressure and strain on the jaw joint and muscles, making your symptoms worse. As a result, if you stop doing these, you can help alleviate some of your pain, until you are able to address the underlying TMJ problem.
Can TMD Be Cured ?
Dr. Hall and our team do not simply want to put a band-aid on your symptoms.
Rather, we want to provide optimal TMD solutions that lead to long lasting relief. Very often, we are able to address the root cause of the disorder, which means there is a possibility that you will never have to deal with flare-ups of jaw pain and related problems again.
Of course, it still must be acknowledged that your circumstances could change in the future. Things like injuries, the onset of arthritis, or failure to wear a proper night guard after orthodontic treatment could cause TMD symptoms to come back.
Is TMJ Treatment Safe?
Most types of TMJ treatment are non-invasive, and they come with a very low level of risk when they are provided by a qualified practitioner. Patient safety is of paramount importance to our team, and we will always consider your long-term health and wellness when making treatment recommendations. If you ever have questions or concerns about the potential risks or downsides to any given treatment, simply talk to us. We will be happy to address anything that is weighing on your mind.
How Long Does It Take for a TMJ Splint to Work?
After Dr. Hall and our team provide you with a special orthotic intraoral device to stabilize your jaw joints and provide symptom relief, you may start to notice a difference quite quickly. Of course, every patient is different, and for some people, it takes a few weeks before significant symptom relief occurs. Optimum results may require a few months. Typically, TMD/TMJ therapy with Dr. Hall takes 4-6 months to complete. Long term management is then needed maintain the comfort and result.
Is TMJ Treatment Expensive?
The cost of TMJ treatment varies from case to case. It depends on the details of your treatment plan and other factors. For example, if you require a custom splint and braces, your overall cost will be higher than if you just need one or the other.
During your consultation, our team can provide a cost estimate for your unique case. We will also be happy to help you understand your payment options. For example, we offer low-interest financing through CareCredit for qualified patients.
Keep in mind that while TMJ treatment might seem pricey, it is an excellent value due to the life-changing benefits that it may deliver. Many believe and hope that a simple night guard will cure TMD, but that is not always the case. Many patients that see Dr. Hall have had numerous night guards and other types of TMD treatment that were unsuccessful. Successful TMD therapy from a knowledgeable specialist may also prevent the need for addtional extensive dental treatment in the future, meaning that it could actually help you save money in the long run.