Treating TMD and Toothaches at Ardas Family Dental

Amid all the extra stress people are under, many have noticed that they’ve developed pain in their jaws, necks, and teeth. If you’re one of them, you may be suffering from temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMD. Besides being painful, this disorder may lead you to crack your teeth, or at least make it difficult for you to speak or chew. At Ardas Family Dental, we help patients suffering from TMD to find personalized solutions, but first, let’s take a closer look at what contributes to it.

The temporomandibular joints are the place on either side of our head where the lower jaw (the mandible) connects to the rest of the skull. Each temporomandibular joint needs to be able to exert a great deal of force, but be able to move freely in every direction. When people are under stress, they tend to clench their jaws, and during their sleep, they may grind their teeth together, which is a habit called bruxism. The pressure generated by bruxism can inflame the temporomandibular joints, causing them to become stiff and painful. It can also wear down tooth enamel, push teeth into new positions, or cause them to break completely.

Sometimes, a rheumatoid condition could be contributing to TMD, and patients who are under severe stress may need psychological counseling. But a dentist can help by providing patients with custom-fitted night guards. These oral appliances will comfortably keep the jaws separate, preventing the teeth from grinding together. We can also provide patients with partial crowns and other restorations for teeth that have already suffered damage and help them determine whether orthodontic therapy is needed.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420 or visit Ardas Family Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Cracked Teeth in Parker, CO

Enamel cracks run the gamut from agonizing health concerns to cosmetic annoyances. But at Ardas Family Dental in Parker, Colorado, we’re prepared to restore a patient’s teeth no matter their condition. Prosthetics come in all shapes and sizes, so to encourage patients to seek treatment sooner, we wanted to describe when different kinds are necessary.

Craze lines are tiny, shallow cracks that develop in the surfaces of crowns. They typically don’t present a health concern or cause a patient any pain, so they can be covered with bonding or a veneer. But if a crack is deep enough for a patient to be in pain or at risk of infection, it will likely need to be filled in with a partial crown. Extensive damage to the tooth could necessitate the replacement of an entire crown and we might also want to remove the pulp through root canal therapy, but the tooth would probably still be salvageable unless the crack went down to the root. In that case it would have to be removed and replaced with an implant, bridge, or partial denture.

When a tooth is merely chipped, bonding or a partial crown is often enough to reshape it. However, it’s worth examining how a tooth came to be cracked. If a patient grinds their teeth in their sleep, they may need a night guard to protect their enamel and reduce stress on their jaw. People should also wear mouthguards during sports and avoid biting down on hard surfaces, especially with their front teeth.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420 or visit Ardas Family Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

TMJ/TMD

The temporomandibular joint, or TMJ, is the joint connecting your jawbone to your skull at the temporal bone. This joint controls many everyday necessary functions like talking and chewing. If you experience pain in your jaw when eating, chewing, or any other time, don’t wait to call Dr. Kattaura at Ardas Family Dental, located in Parker, CO. You may be experiencing temporomandibular disorder, or TMD.

 

TMD can be caused by stress, teeth grinding, or clenching of the jaw muscles. The main symptoms are pain when opening or closing mouth, trouble chewing, jaw becoming stuck open or shut, headaches or ear pain, clicking or popping sounds when opening your mouth, and teeth grinding.

 

Teeth grinding is a problematic symptom of TMD. When you grind your teeth, the top and bottom rows are scraping against each other. Eventually, this will wear down the enamel on your teeth. This exposes the dentin within. Dentin is sensitive, and exposure causes a handful of different issues. This includes opening a pathway for harmful bacteria.

 

For short term relief, hot/cold packs can be applied in 15-minute intervals to the affected area. Over-the-counter pain relievers are also helpful. For long term effects and treatment, an appointment with Dr. Kattaura is needed. Dr. Kattaura can give you a mouth guard, which will prevent your teeth from grinding together. In severe cases, surgery may be required.

 

If you suspect you have TMD, contact Ardas Family Dental for a consultation. Our office is located in Parker, CO. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Kattaura, visit our website or call 720-459-8420.

 

Treating TMD At Ardas Family Dental

The temporomandibular joint is a hinge that connects your jaw bone (mandible) to the temporal bones in your skull, in front of each ear.  A general term for any problem or issue with this joint is temporomandibular disorder, or TMD. Ardas Family Dental can help patients prevent and recover from negative effects of TMD.

Patients that grind or clench their teeth often end up with a sore jaw.  Other patients experience injuries with facial trauma that cause jaw pain, or result in the patient feeling their jaw gets stuck or ‘locks’ in either an open or closed position.  A custom night guard keeps the jaw in a neutral position during sleep, and this helps many patients find relief from TMD symptoms.  For any pain, your dentist may recommend an over-the-counter painkiller or warm and cold compresses.  To prevent further discomfort, you may be assigned stretches for your jaw. 

Whatever your symptoms, you don’t have to suffer with discomfort in your jaw.  To learn more about TMD and the services provided at the practice, visit Kids and Family Dentist, Parker CO for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Roopi Kattaura at Ardas Family Dental in Parker, CO, call 720-459-8420.