Can You Relate?

Dental Articles, Dentistry by Angela Britt, Physiologic Dentistry, Technology, TMJ

I have patients who tell me they are experiencing unexplained pain in their jaw, face, neck and shoulders. They don’t know what could be causing it, and don’t know who to ask for help.

When I tell them they are most likely suffering from temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) and that I can treat their symptoms, they are relieved to know there is a solution for their discomfort. Can you identify with any of these symptoms? Click here to learn more about the common symptoms of TMD.

woman sitting in dentist chair holding jaw in pain from TMJ

Bite Disease Treatment for TMJ Disorder versus Botox

Dental Articles, Physiologic Dentistry, Services, TMJ

I am sure a lot of you have seen advertisements or articles on treating TMJ disorder with Botox. While both methods can be used to reduce or eliminate pain, I want to take this opportunity to talk about the differences between the two methods. Botulinum toxin, known as Botox, is a manufactured injectable medication used therapeutically to reduce the strength of targeted muscle tissue. The FDA approved the use of botulinum toxin as a first line treatment for chronic migraine in February 2011. It takes the toxin approximately 2 hours to bind to the nerve and approximately 2-10 days from…

woman with fingers at her temples in pain with a migraine

Migraines a symptom of bad bite

Dental Articles, Migraines, Physiologic Dentistry, Services, TMJ

Did you know migraines can be a symptom of a bad bite? For many people, migraine headaches are a “normal” part of their life. Medications can be used to stop or manage the pain, but the source of the pain is not always determined. Most people don’t think about mentioning headaches or facial muscle pain to their dentist but this type of pain is a common symptom of TMD (Temporomandibular Disorder), also know as TMJ Disorder. So how does a bad bite fit into this scenario? The position of the jaw joint is determined by how the teeth fit together.…

woman in pain holding her jaw

Facts on Fibromyalgia, Chronic Pain and TMJ Disorder

Dental Articles, Migraines, Physiologic Dentistry, Services, TMJ

Did you know that patients who are diagnosed with fibromyalgia commonly have temporomandibular joint dysfunction as well? According to research administered by the National Institutes of Health, fibromyalgia patients have a high incidence of TMJ disorder and exhibit classic TMJ symptoms such as clicking or popping sounds during mouth movement, along with facial pain and muscle pain in the head and neck. Fibromyalgia is a painful and often debilitating disease. For some people the pain can be so intense, it gives sufferers incapacitating migraines. Patients with fibromyalgia typically experience deep, radiating pain throughout their bodies, especially near joints. Those with…