One of the earliest signs of jaw joint problems is a hearing a noise when opening or closing. The noise may happen all the time or just on occasion. For some people, the noise is loud enough to hear across the room and for others it is very quiet and difficult to perceive. The reason the jaw makes noise is because of the improper movement your jaw ligament between the jaw bone and socket. When not moving properly, this ligament dislocates and the sound of popping on and off the jawbone is heard. This is never normal or healthy.

The jaw can become locked or stuck in either an open or closed position when the ligament dislocates between the jaw bone and socket and does not return to its normal position. Another cause for jaw lockage occurs when the muscles that control the jaw spasm and prevent normal movement. Both conditions can be very dangerous if left untreated. TMD conditions are progressive and will get worse over time.

TMD conditions are diagnosed through a complete clinical examination which includes analysis of: range of motion, joint sounds, X-rays, photographs, patient interview, dental history and medical history, and often times sleep related breathing evaluation. Successful treatment outcomes are heavily reliant upon complete diagnosis. This is why, prior to suggesting any treatment options we will have a complete diagnosis of your condition.

Previous diagnostic information such as X-rays are certainly beneficial in understanding your dental history (how you got to where you are). But, some routine dental x-rays are not diagnostic for all the conditions we are screening for. It will frequently be necessary to take a new 3-D image of your jaw joint. This image is called a CBCT scan or Cone Beam and is not typically found in most dental offices.

Any abnormal forces (including from clenching and grinding) can have a negative effect on the health of your jaw joint. The jaw joint functions best when it is able to slide and rotate with light forces and plenty of lubrication. When clenching, grinding, or even eating hard/chewy/crunchy foods there is increased stress on the joint space which results in a decrease in the lubrication and increase in force.

TMD is a progressive condition which means it gets worse over time. Unfortunately, the future (if left untreated) will be worse than the present. Although every person is different and symptoms vary drastically case to case; the usual progression pathway is something like this: short term sharp pains, jaw inflammation, muscle tenderness, jaw joint sounds, restricted range of motion, jaw locking, grinding and arthritis of the jaw, wear and destructions of the teeth, loss of teeth of permanent damage to a portion of the jaw joint. loss of the ability to chew and function normally, continued and worsening pain through the process.

Grabill Family Dentisty is not a participating provider with most medical or dental insurance companies. As a courtesy, we are happy to help in filing paperwork, insurance forms, and any documentation to assist in the processing of your claims. Typically, TMJ and sleep treatments are filed under medical insurance. We feel it is important for you to fully understand the policies you have and their payment allowances. Since we are out-of-network providers, your insurance company may be unwilling to provide any information to us other than the basic plan benefits. Therefore, we may ask you to contact your insurance provider to obtain your plan’s specific benefit information.

Treatment costs vary depending on the severity of your condition, complexity of the diagnosis, and your interest fixing the condition vs. maintaining your condition. We will talk more about what is best for you and promise you will always have a crystal clear idea of expenses before we begin anything.