Poor Bite Function Makes You Vulnerable To TMJ Disorder

jaw pain conceptWhat makes a person vulnerable to oral health problems? When you think about people who experience problems that require a trip to the dentist’s office, you may think of individuals who have poor oral hygiene habits, or those who maintain unhealthy diets that are high in sugar. What you might not realize is that a problem with your bite function can actually hurt your well-being. Ideally, a person should evenly apply and release pressure when biting and chewing. There are several issues that can prevent that even movement from occurring. If your bite is flawed, it can cause you to wear down certain teeth by putting them through too much. You can also have difficulties because of TMJ disorder, which results from problems with poor joint alignment or trouble with the muscles responsible for jaw movement.

What Is Stopping You From Maintaining A Proper Bite Function?

There is no single issue that changes a person’s bite function for the worse. One individual might consciously change the way they bite because they are trying to limit how much pressure they put on an injured tooth. Another may have a hard time keeping their bite correctly aligned because their teeth are poorly aligned. It is possible that your bite function can change after an injury that interferes with the way your joints line up. Any problems that create tension in the way you move can lead to disharmonies that trigger pain, stiffness, and sensitivity issues when not treated.

Recognizing TMJ Disorder And Its Effects On Your Life

How can you tell if TMJ disorder is already affecting you? You may have a hard time with nightly teeth grinding because of this condition. It can also make moving your jaw difficult or painful. Symptoms are not just limited to your jaw area. People with TMJ disorder frequently struggle with headaches and facial pain, and may even feel their discomfort in their neck and shoulders.

Restorative Work May Be Necessary For Improving Your Bite

Through oral appliance therapy, we can gently encourage your jaw to align better and put a stop to your TMJ pains. For many people, this approach is enough to put their problems behind them. However, if you have trouble with your oral health that makes a proper bite hard to maintain, other services could be necessary. To fix alignment issues, we can recommend Invisalign treatment. If you are uncomfortable putting pressure on a certain tooth, we can use a dental crown to restore it and give you more support.

Talk To Your Sheridan, WY Dentist About TMJ Disorder And Your Bite Function

Grinnell Street Dental is ready to help patients who think they may have issues with TMJ disorder. To learn how we can respond to this problem, call our dentist’s office in Sheridan, WY at 307-672-7567.

filed under: TMJ