Eating is about far more than nutrition, it’s one of life’s simplest and most satisfying pleasures. The enjoyment we get from our favorite foods can lift our spirits as well as nourishing our bodies. But when we are experiencing pain when we chew, an activity we normally look forward to can turn into something we dread.
One cause of facial pain that the prosthodontists at Dental Specialists of Darien have successfully diagnosed and treated is temporomandibular joint, or TMJ, disorder. The TMJ are joints and jaw muscles on both sides of the head. They open and close your mouth, working in harmony when we chew, speak or swallow and include ligaments, muscles, and the jaw bone. They also allow the lower jaw to move forward, backward, and from side to side.
It doesn’t take much to throw this delicate system out of balance. TMJ pain can be triggered by anything that prevents these joints and muscles from working properly. Among the culprits are arthritis, stress and grinding of the teeth, jaw misalignment, dislocation, and injury. But TMJ is not the simplest problem to diagnose. That is why it is imperative to visit a specially trained prosthodontist to conduct a thorough examination and confirm a diagnosis. In addition to receiving a general dentistry degree, prosthodontists have undergone three years of intensive coursework focused on handling the most complex and difficult cases involving damage to the tissue and bone surrounding our teeth.
If you are suffering from facial pain when you’re chewing or opening and closing your mouth, don’t spend another day dreading the next meal. Contact the prosthodontists at Dental Specialists of Darien today for an appointment. We have the state-of-the-art diagnostic tools and an array of treatments to relieve the pain you’ve been suffering, and restore the comfort and joy you derive from one of life’s simple pleasures.
Schedule an appointment online or give us a call and we will be in touch as soon as possible.
