The Seriousness of TMJ disorders in London SE1

The Seriousness of TMJ disorders in London SE1

11 / 02 / 2011

You may take for granted, the work your jaw does during each day of your life in London’s SE1. You eat, you talk and you chew your way through the average day and this places enormous forces through two tiny ball joints which connect the lower jaw to the top- more commonly known as the temporomandibular joint, or TMJ and the pressures on this joint come in many forms. The reason we have braces fitted, missing teeth replaced or have crown placements is to ensure that the occlusion of the mouth, or the ‘bite’, is correct. If this is misaligned, it places extra stresses on the TMJ. Teeth grinding is the ultimate enemy as you are continually placing stress on the joints and muscles that surround them. Over time, the joint will wear and cause many complications in the head, neck and upper back and it’s important to identify the symptoms early on. Constant ear, jaw and headaches are an indication that there is something wrong in this area, that can affect every day functions such as biting, chewing and talking- but the most obvious sign is when the jaw clicks when it is moved. Treatments for TMJ disorders can be many-fold. Resting of the jaw is important, combined with heat and ice therapies and medication. Occlusion correction is important to ensure the ‘bite’ reduces stresses in the TMJ. But most importantly, stress therapy can prevent teeth grinding and unnecessary pressures being placed on the jaw. But in extreme cases, the only alternative is surgery.