TMJ and Headache Therapy

TMJ & Headache Therapy–Glen Ellyn Dentist

The temperomandibular joint, or TMJ for short, is a very complex and sensitive component of the head and neck area. This is the joint where your lower jaw meets the rest of your skull and the various muscle and tendon attachments that bind them together and provide function. Due to the sensitivity of this area, any misalignment or irregularity in the TMJ’s function is likely to cause notable pain and discomfort.

Problems and discomfort in the joint are referred to frequently as either MFD (myofascial pain dysfunction) or TMD (temperomandibular joint disorder). If you are suffering from one of the following symptoms, you may well have MFD/TMD. In this case, we may be able to help:

• Headaches.
• Neck, shoulder, and back pain.
• Facial pain.
• Congestion, stuffiness, or ringing in the ears.
• Numbness in your fingers and arms.
• Clicking, popping, or abrasive sounds in your jaw joints.
• Limited jaw mobility and/or locking.
• Unexplained loose teeth.
• Varying degrees of intermittent tooth pain or sensitivity.

There are many medical solutions available to free you from clicking, noisy joints, along with the painful muscle conditions associated with TMJ disorders. Treatment generally starts at the conservative end of the scale, with such inexpensive techniques as creating appliance bit splint for the patient. These come in various types and must be prescribed for each patient.

Other therapies are NTI-TSS appliances (short for nociceptive trigeminal inhibition tension suppression system), orthodontics, or complex restorative dentistry to restore the bite relationships of the jaws.

Another methods of countering the problem include Botox conditioning of painful muscles, bite adjusting, and MRI imaging of the joint. An analysis of possible trigger points with referred pain is also analyzed.

TMJ pain is a chronic and frequently debilitating illness, which affects millions of people in the United States alone. Dr. Gibbs has received advanced neuromuscular training at the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies and in occlusion at the Panky Institute. He has helped many patients eliminate, or at least greatly alleviate, these uncomfortable jaw conditions.

Give us a call today at 630-858-8800 or make an appointment with Dr. Gibbs.