NYC Smile Design is a cosmetic dental practice that addresses patient's concerns on dental issues such as a TMJ with a multifaceted approach. A temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the joint found on the lower part of the jaw or mandible and connects to the temporal bone of the skull. The joint is flexible and controlled by the attached muscles responsible for chewing, swallowing, talking, and yawning. Persons suffering from a TMJ disorder feel severe pain in the joint surrounding, including having neck pains, headaches, difficulty in biting and chewing, and usually develop a jaw position that is hard to move. The pain may be due to misalignment or a disconnect of these joints due to tension, stress, trauma, injury, or wear and tear of the joint being overused.
If left untreated, the TMJ symptoms can persist indefinitely, leading to changes in the joint that can negatively impact the digestive function, causing chronic back pain. NYC Smile Design experts advise you to seek medical attention, especially if you have experienced more than one of the mentioned symptoms for more than two weeks. NYC Smile Design dentists are professionals who have refined and crafted their skills in dental care. They can easily detect the TMJ disorder and offer you swift, reliable, and effective treatment giving you lifetime comfort.
Dr. Ramin Tabib and Dr. Elisa Mello are among the most experienced TMJ specialists at NYC Smile Design who can quickly identify, understand and interpret these symptoms. By incorporating their training and experience in neuromuscular dentistry and the latest dental treatment and techniques, they can diagnose patients and help them get back that beautiful smile once again. TMJ treatment focuses on restoring the proper alignment of the underlying tissues that might be responsible for the disorder. Diagnosis of the TMJ disorder can be a challenge as most of the symptoms are similar to arthritis or toothache. TMJ treatments also vary depending on the condition's actual cause. Such treatments may include orthodontics, complete mouth rehab, neuromuscular orthodontics, or removable orthotic devices.
Specialists have to examine your jaw more carefully in an attempt to uncover other underlying ailments that may be responsible for the disorder. The NYC Smile Design specialists will offer you the best and most effective treatments that cater to your specific condition. Some of the other guidelines that you have to follow include,
- Being gentle on the jaw to minimize the workload. Large or thick foods that will require a wide opening of the mouth are also not encouraged. This also includes avoiding hard and crunchy foods that may require more vigorous chewing.
- Adopting a good body posture allows the jaw to sit correctly, reducing the facial and back pain necessary for a speedy recovery. Patients should also avoid habits such as handling the phone between the shoulder and ear, as they place the neck in awkward positions that may hinder or slow the recovery process.
- A warm and cold compress on the affected jaw area has a therapeutic effect. Application of a warm washcloth on the affected area after jaw stretching is also vital to healing.
The highly trained TMJ specialist at NYC Smile Design will offer more professional guidance and treatment plans that will ensure speedy and effective recovery. You can visit their website to have a glimpse of the before and after images of successful TMJ treatments.