I am very thankful that I have been fortunate enough to find this Dentist Office. The entire staff are very pleasant and genuinely care about a good outcome regardless of your situation. You could not ask for better. Dr. Parker is great…😀 …
Dealing with a TMJ disorder can affect your life in some pretty dramatic ways because the issue goes well beyond your jaw not working properly. If you’d like some tips on how to diminish your symptoms from your jaw-related disorder and also get a custom TMJ treatment, call Charles F. Betts, Jr., D.M.D. Family Dentistry at 256-274-8680 to book a consultation with us today!
We offer an array of dental services as well as some treatment options that you might not expect from a dentist at our Decatur, AL dentist office. We want to give our patients a comprehensive experience when they visit us so you won’t have to seek out multiple specialists to get you and your loved ones all of the quality services you require.
To fit into your busy schedule a little bit easier, our office offers some flexible hours that many other dentists don’t. Instead of opening at 9:00 a.m., we open by 8:00 a.m. at the latest every weekday. We also open early at 7:00 a.m. on Thursdays and provide appointments until 6:00 p.m. on Tuesdays.
We accept a large variety of payment methods, including our own in-house credit plans. We also provide discounts for treatments that are paid-in-full on the day of service and occasionally run specials and promotions.
Try These Techniques To Soothe Your TMJ Disorder Some
We’ve seen a lot of patients that deal with TMJ troubles and many of them have responded positively to various relaxation techniques we’ve recommended.
Of course, we can also treat your teeth grinding and other TMJ-related problems with a custom mouthguard that will prevent you from clenching your jaw while you sleep so your jaw can heal and you can rest easier. But we also want to empower our patients to address their symptoms at least somewhat on their own. This way, even if you don’t have your mouthguard with you, you’ll be able to get some relief.
Many patients find it helpful to practice a breathing exercise of some sort. One popular method is the 4-7-8 technique. If you decide to try this one, all you need to do is breathe in deeply and slowly through your nose for a count of four, then hold your breath for a count of seven, release the breath through your mouth while making a “whooshing” sound for a count of eight, and then repeat.
You may also have some luck with clenching other muscle groups throughout your body and then relaxing them. You can find the order that works best for you but the important thing is to concentrate on some other part of your body, tense your muscles, and then release that tension. You may even end up relaxing parts of your body that you didn’t even know were tense!
Other patients carry a small bottle of relaxing essential oils with them and take a small sniff when they’re feeling anxious. The oils are highly concentrated, so the bottles themselves are very small and easy to carry around in your pocket. You can pick your favorite scent, of course, but some soothing ones include lavender, bergamot, and lemon.
It may seem counterintuitive to touch your jaw when it already hurts, but it may also be helpful to massage your jaw joints gently. Again, this may depend on your case and you should experiment a little bit to find the method that fits your case best.
Reach out to us if you’re unsure of whether or not you have some form of problem related to your TMJ (an acronym that stands for the technical term for your jaw joint, the temporomandibular joint). We can examine your particular case and give you a better idea of what you’re up against and how best to address it.
You’ll want a professional opinion to determine if you’re dealing with a disorder related to your TMJ, but here are some of the most common symptoms for you to look out for:
- Involuntary teeth grinding (can occur at any time, but especially at night and/or when you’re feeling stressed)
- Clicking, popping, or grating sounds in your jaw when you open and close your mouth
- Swelling, stiffness, or soreness in your jaw
- Difficulty opening your mouth wide
- A jaw that gets stuck open or closed
- Migraines and/or headaches
If you suspect that you may have a TMJ disorder and want the team at Charles F. Betts, Jr., D.M.D. Family Dentistry to give you a custom TMJ treatment, call 256-274-8680. You can also fill out our simple online form to book.