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TMJ pain & treatment Harley Street, London W1

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What is TMJ disorder?

TMJ Disorder can be treated through safe, nonsurgical treatments that often permanently solve the issue, so no one has to suffer TMJ disorder or its myriad of side effects. Surgery should only be recommended as a last resort.

Treatment for TMJ disorder is very patient specific and the exact cause of the disorder should be determined. Here at Harley Street Dental Studio, our experts will review your symptoms and examine your teeth, including tooth wear, restorations and position, your gums for their health and your bite and bite movements.

Treatments often start with a hard bite guard (known as a bite splint) to allow your jaw and teeth to find a more balanced and natural position. Once this is achieved, and your symptoms have resolved, a more definitive treatment can be completed for a more permanent solution.

This can include orthodontics (teeth straightening), building up, restoring the teeth or a combination of these. We can also offer neuromuscular dentistry, which focuses on the position of the jaw, teeth and the tissues surrounding it. Treatment for your TMJ disorder is usually handled by one of our specialist prosthodontists or directors.

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Risa Legg

Highly recommend Harley street dental studio and Dr. Mark Hughes. Dr. Hughes is incredibly thorough and a really nice approachable dentist. One…

Highly recommend Harley street dental studio and Dr. Mark Hughes. Dr. Hughes is incredibly thorough and a really nice approachable dentist. One of the best dental appointments I’ve had and that says a lot coming from NYC!

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fatemeh sadeghei

It has been a few weeks since my treatment with Dr Shad has come to an end (I had Invisalign and composite bonding done) and I couldn’t be more…

It has been a few weeks since my treatment with Dr Shad has come to an end (I had Invisalign and composite bonding done) and I couldn’t be more thankful, grateful and happy with the outcome! Dr Shad was superb! Phenomenal – in both his dental abilities and attitude towards his work as well as his friendliness and reassuring nature towards me as a patient! Having my treatment with Dr Shad was the best decision I have made and I couldn’t be more appreciate of all his efforts and will forever thank him for what he’s done for me! I would 10/10 recommend Dr Shad and the clinic to anyone I know! Many thanks again!

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Catalina Mirea

I couldn’t be more pleased with my results with Dr Aneka. She answered all my questions and been there with me every step. She’s very good at…

I couldn’t be more pleased with my results with Dr Aneka. She answered all my questions and been there with me every step. She’s very good at making you feel calm and confident. I was quite terrified before when going dentist but all my visits and treatments were painless which make me gain my confidence back. I would give more than 5 starts if I could. Thank you Dr Aneka and Harley Street Studio’s team

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Alastair S

Great experience with Harley Street Dental Studio and specifically Dr Aneka Khaira. I had a fairly lengthy Invisalign journey, followed by…

Great experience with Harley Street Dental Studio and specifically Dr Aneka Khaira. I had a fairly lengthy Invisalign journey, followed by composite bonding. Dr Aneka provides a very high standard of service and always makes sure all your questions are answered and understood. I highly recommend Dr Aneka for anyone looking for dental work.

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Sri Aathavan

Superb service from the friendly team at Harley Street Dental Studio – a big huge thank you to Dr. Denzel for seeing me last minute and putting…

Superb service from the friendly team at Harley Street Dental Studio – a big huge thank you to Dr. Denzel for seeing me last minute and putting me out of my misery. Take it from me; this is the best dental practice on Harley Street and there are a fair few to go through to find one which is honest and which one outs their patients as their number 1 priority – thank me later!

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Sarah Green

Fabulous dentistry. Nothing but first class. Trust them completely. They turned a Ruined mouth of bad dentists into amazing teeth. I can…

Fabulous dentistry. Nothing but first class. Trust them completely. They turned a Ruined mouth of bad dentists into amazing teeth. I can smile. Thank you.

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Sophie Fysentzou

Excellent Work!!!!I am so happy with the work that has been done on my smile by Dr Justin Glaister. He has perfected my smile in such detail…

Excellent Work!!!!I am so happy with the work that has been done on my smile by Dr Justin Glaister. He has perfected my smile in such detail which is incredible as I thought i had straight teeth with just some little adjustments to be done to them but actually seeing the before and after photos show just how bad my teeth were originally! I just can’t stop smiling now!!

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Jessica Milner

Want to thank Dr Peter McQuillan so much! I went for my first consultation about 2 months ago with the hopes to get my teeth straightened (with…

Want to thank Dr Peter McQuillan so much! I went for my first consultation about 2 months ago with the hopes to get my teeth straightened (with Invisalign). I expected it to take a few months but in the end I went for 4 veneers which have fixed everything I hated about my teeth in such a short time period! I’m way happier with my teeth, even more than I could have imagined, and he made me feel super comfortable the whole time. I used to be self conscious about my smile but not anymore – and they look so real :) Thanks a million, would recommend him to everyone!

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It can be caused by:

An unbalanced bite

Bad and uneven bites, such as an overbite or underbite are the primary cause of TMJ Disorder. A bad bite can be a result of airway problems, allergies during childhood, thumb-sucking and tooth-loss.

Deformation of the skull

The pressures and forces exerted on a baby’s head during birth can affect the shape and affect the development of the skull. Misalignment of bones, muscles and ligaments can all lead to TMJ later on in life.

Injury, impact or trauma

When the human body absorbs a serious impact, it can alter the joints and muscles in your head, face and neck. This causes TMJ and its resultant irritation, discomfort and pains.

Unbalanced dental treatment

Dental and orthodontic treatment which causes asymmetry in the mouth can affect the bite and lead to TMJ problems.

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Two-phase treatment

Phase one – TENS treatment

Phase One: First of all, a TENS (Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) machine is used to relax the jaw muscles using a series of tiny electrical impulses and find your jaw’s natural most relaxed position. The TENS machine will therefore relax and de-programme jaw muscles that have been overworked. Other exercises can also be used to decompress the temporomandibular joint. We will then use EMG data (electromyography data), to relax and prove your muscles are relaxed using a measure similar to a Richter Scale. After this, we capture this most relaxed position using high quality moulding material and then realign your bite into its optimal position.

Custom-made orthotic

After this, you will wear a custom-made orthotic (an orthopaedic device used to correct an underlying issue with your jaw placement). It rests on top of the existing teeth, is clear and looks completely natural, but will provide almost immediate relief from the effects of TMJ disorder, something that will increase as your muscles get used to the orthotic device.

Phase two – relapse prevention

Phase Two: Once you are completely comfortable with your new bite, Dr Frey may recommend additional cosmetic dental treatment to ensure the results of your treatment retain and there is no relapse of the temporomandibular joint. The exact nature of this depends on your individual circumstances but could include orthodontics or a full mouth rehabilitation. There are a number of options and Dr Frey will go through them with you at the end of Phase One of your treatment.

Health concerns

Dental health concerns

TMJ disorder and putting off treatment can lead to additional dental health issues. The grinding and clenching of teeth caused by TMJ and bruxism can lead to worn down and fractured teeth. Due to the misalignment of the jaw, TMJ sufferers often favour one side of the jaw over the other, and this could cause unsymmetrical muscle growth or swelling on one side of your face, causing an asymmetrical appearance.

Tooth and jaw pain

With TMJ disorder, your teeth can more rapidly be worn than if your jaw is properly aligned. This can lead to wear on your teeth that is uneven, the range of jaw motion being reduced or loss and the recession of gums. If you have any pain in your teeth or jaw the root cause could be TMJ.

Neck, back and shoulder pain

The unaligned bite caused by TMJ disorder can have a ripple effect that affects your shoulder muscles, back and neck. Tight, contracted and sore jaw muscles tilt the head which causes overcompensation by the neck, back and shoulder muscles. This causes pain throughout the upper body.

Numbness and tingling in fingers

A misaligned bite can cause the nerves and muscles through your face, jaw, neck and shoulders to spasm. This in itself can cause pinched nerves that lead down to your arm, causing tingling and numbness in your fingers, hands and arms. Almost half of people who suffer with TMJ suffer these symptoms, and the numbness and tingling can vary in intensity.

Grinding of teeth and jaw

Slight grinding of the teeth isn’t necessarily a serious issue unless it is done unconsciously whilst you are asleep. This is known as Bruxism and can be very painful. It results in a worn out tooth surface, and sometimes even fractured teeth.

Posture issues

TMJ disorder can have serious effects on your entire body posture. When your bite is unbalanced, your muscle activity and the length of your muscles will be similarly unbalanced. If muscles are contracted too much it creates a posture that leans and slouches forward. This has a ripple effect throughout your body, which if not lined up properly can result in a decrease of the physical performance of the body. This can cause you to feel increasingly tired and sluggish through the day.

Facial pains

People with TMJ will very commonly suffer pain in their face. As TMJ disorder affects neck, face and head muscles, if a nerve gets pinched the pain can cause discomfort in your face. The bad bite that dislocates the jaw and surrounding muscles can cause pain behind the eyes as well as pain in the face.

Ear pain and congestion

Earaches, dizziness, ringing in the ears or a congested feeling in your ears can be traced to TMJ disorder. The misaligned jaw makes your ear canal sensitive and affects the muscles and nerves in your ears. This can cause vertigo, dizziness, pain in the ear, sinus pain, reduced hearing and a feeling of congestion in your ears.

Headaches

One of the most common complaints TMJ disorder suffer from, headaches are caused when the TMJ is out of alignment. This causes muscle tension in your face, neck and shoulders, which leads to tension headaches. They can also be caused by the build-up of blood pressure due to the muscles straining. Tension headaches can be extremely painful, to the point that they are often misdiagnosed as migraines.

Lockjaw, clicking and popping of jaw

If the jaw is not aligned in the proper position, it causes the TMJ disc to become displaced and the closing of the join spaces. This could result in popping or clicking sensations when you open or close your mouth. This can happen when yawning, or during biting or eating. In extreme instances, the displacement of the TMJ disc can case the jaw to lock if you open your mouth wide, which can cause problems with closing one’s mouth. This needs a doctor’s attention as it it’s a serious condition.

Tinnitus and ear issues

Due to the jaw’s placement directly beneath the ears, TMJ disorder can lead to hearing issues such as tinnitus, as well as damaged hearing and inner ear issues. Problems with the inner ear can cause balance difficulties as well as recurring dizziness.

Other medical concerns

There are other medical conditions that can arise from the effects of TMJ disorder on a patient. A number of patients will change their diet as a result of the pain and limited jaw motion by either not eating much or only eating soft foods and liquids, which could cause nutrition issues. The pain and grinding of teeth can cause issues with sleep as well, including disturbed sleep or insomnia.

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HSDS – Clip – Adam (TMJ)
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TMJ – Treatment Options for TMJ TMD with London Cosmetic Dentist Dr David Frey
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