TMD isn’t just another acronym for you to throw into your next text message— unless you’re texting Dr. Nazila Bidabadi, of course. TMD or temporomandibular joint disorder is a condition that nearly 10 million Americans suffer from. To help you understand a little bit more about TMD, we have created a brief article listing— and debunking— three common myths about it.
Myth #1: TMJ Only Causes Mouth Pain
Even though your temporomandibular joint is in your jaw, many patients experience symptoms elsewhere. For instance, a lot of patients who have TMJ experience tension headaches, back pain, or even inner ear pain. Even though many patients suffer from pain in their jaw, remember that you can experience pain elsewhere.
Myth #2: Surgery or Bust
Although surgical options for TMD help patients live a normal, TMJ symptom-free life again, it certainly isn’t the only option you have. Inf act, before we even consider surgery as an option for you, we will encourage you to take small measures to alleviate symptoms like massaging your jaw, taking NSAIDs, icing your jaw, and moving your jaw from side to side as an exercise. If you have tried all of these non-invasive options without success, however, that’s when we may want to consider surgery as an option.
Myth #3: There’s Only One Cause
One of the unique things about TMD is that it can be caused by a variety of different things including trauma, stress, arthritis, a misaligned bite, and more. During your initial appointment with Dr. Nazila Bidabadi at Soft Touch Dentistry we will try to pinpoint what exactly is causing your TMD and what treatment options will be most effective for you.
If you have TMJ, we have got you covered. To learn more about our treatment options and solutions, schedule your consultation at our Newton office today: (617) 332-8146.
