Temporomandicular joint pain can be utterly miserable. These joints between the lower jaw and the skull often hurt when your jaw has been injured or your teeth are misaligned. This is known as TMJ pain and can present you with a whole range of different frustrating symptoms. Headaches, pain in the ear or face, difficulty chewing or opening the jaw, all accompanied by clicking or popping noises, can occur as a result. For many sufferers seeking relief is a top priority.

The first place to seek advice about this condition is your dentist. Here at the Viva Dental clinic in Lancaster, we see a lot of patients who are fed up of trying the manage the associated pain they’re experiencing and in a lot of cases we can help. Part of an orthodontist’s remit is solving bite problems and if your bite is causing your TMJ, we can work to align it.

What is malocclusion?

Your bite is how your upper and lower jaw fit together. If your upper jaw protrudes further than your lower jaw, you have an overbite. The opposite is known as an underbite. When teeth on upper and lower jaws meet at the side, but not at the front, your bite is referred to as an open bite, while jaws that are mismatched in width cause a cross bite. An uneven bite is known as malocclusion.

To find out whether you might have a misaligned bite causing your TMJ, as well as your head, ear and facial pain, our dentist will need to see you in person at our Lancaster practice. It’s important that we provide you with treatment or advice that is appropriate for your individual bite concerns.

Using Invisalign to correct TMJ issues in Lancaster

Invisalign braces are used to bring your teeth into a straighter, more aligned position in your mouth. If the cause of your TMJ pain is your malocclusion or misaligned teeth, Invisalign can help. The braces are not of the traditional fixed metal type. They look like thin, translucent mouth guards which fit snugly over the teeth. They’re very discreet and it’s unlikely anyone will know you’re wearing them.

The length of time you’ll need to wear the removable Invisalign aligner trays before a better alignment is achieved, and the pain is relieved, depends on the severity of your bite problem, but our experienced Lancaster-based Invisalign providers will be able to answer all your questions when you meet them.

Contact our Lancaster dentist

Are you ready to alleviate the pain you’ve been experiencing for good and achieve a new beautiful smile with straighter teeth at the same time? Then please give our reception team a call. You could be heading towards a painfree 2017 with a renewed confidence in your looks. Call us to find out more about what TMJ treatment involves.