Are you a patient suffering from TMJ disorder (TMD)? Perhaps you have been diagnosed – or have a strong suspicion that TMD is affecting your oral health – but you’re not sure where to begin. The not-so-great news is that TMD can result in some seriously uncomfortable and frustrating side effects (not to mention long-term damage). The exceptional news is that we can quickly diagnose you and offer effective, non-invasive treatment to improve comfort and protect the health of your jaw joints. In the meantime, we encourage you to keep in mind the most important factor in jaw joint protection: Remember to relax.

Stress and TMJ Disorder

Why is relaxation such an important factor in protect your TMJs and jaw health? Well, stress is a major contributor to TMD. As a matter of fact, physical and emotional stress may lead to TMJ disorder and/or may exacerbate an existing condition. Either way – your jaw joints are already suffering from discomfort, strain, tension, and surrounding muscles may be inflamed. Each additional movement and every bit of pressure may cause further irritation. As a result, providing relaxation when possible is the simple yet effective approach to alleviating pain and avoiding damage.

What You Can Do To Protect Your TMJs

Well, it’s a bit more complicated than simply taking a quick nap. Relaxing your TMJs requires multiple steps. First, we suggest that you visit us for TMJ disorder treatment, which we offer as oral appliance therapy. You will wear an oral splint that will gently position your jaws in such a way that will take stress and pressure off of your jaw joints, allowing them to … you guessed it … relax. During your daily life, it’s also important to relax emotionally and physically, so you avoid clenching your teeth, over-working your TMJs, or tensing the surrounding muscles. This part is up to you – whether you meditate, practice yoga, listen to calming music, or otherwise – it can help dramatically.