Temporomandibular disorder or TMJ characterizes pain in the two joints that connect the jaw bone to the skull. This ache could result from injury, arthritis, genetics, teeth clenching, and grinding. Patients with TMJ will have difficulties in opening their mouths to speak or eat. While it is difficult to diagnose TMJ, upon diagnosis, this condition is curable. Dental bridges as a teeth restoration treatment are one of the ways we can alleviate TMJ symptoms.
TMJ and Uneven Bites
If you have missing teeth either due to trauma, tooth decay, or disease, the missing gaps will cause a misalignment in your jaw. This misalignment is a result of your neighboring teeth shifting from their position into the gap.
This shift will also cause a change in your bite and affect your jaw balance. The imbalance will cause your jaw muscles to stress during chewing, resulting in sudden jaw pain, which is a TMJ symptom. Cracked teeth can also cause misaligned bites as your grind against each other, causing extra stress on TMJ muscles and joints.
Resolving TMJ With Dental Bridges
To deal with TMJ resulting from missing teeth, we will recommend a dental bridge to fill the toothless gap. This way, we will restore your bite and balance and prevent extra jaw strain and TMJ. If your front teeth are missing, we will use porcelain bridges to replace them. Other types of bridges are suitable if the back teeth are missing.
First, we will prepare the abutment teeth by removing part of the enamel to create space for the crown. We will then place a temporary bridge over those teeth and schedule a later appointment to remove temporary crowns and place permanent crowns and bridges. While bridges are useful in dealing with TMJ, different individuals will respond differently to this treatment, which is why you should talk to us first for possible solutions. For more details on managing TMJ, contact our office today.
Merritt Island