Why Does your Jaw Hurt?

Do you experience frequent pain in your jaw? Does your jaw pop or click or stick when you open and close your mouth? If so, you may require dental attention. But what does jaw pain have to do with your oral health? Park Ridge dentists, Dr. Maria Loukas and Dr. Thanasi Loukas can answer this question, as well as offering you suggestions on how best to treat jaw pain.

Bruxism and Jaw Pain

If you have frequent pain in your jaw, you could have an undiagnosed bruxism habit. Bruxism, or teeth grinding, can go undiagnosed for long periods of time because the habit typically occurs during sleep. Unfortunately, teeth grinding can cause serious problems for teeth and the jaw, thus necessitating treatment. If bruxism is not treated, your teeth can eventually become worn down until they crack, chip, or break. However, your smile is not alone in suffering from the grinding force of bruxism. Problems in the jaw can develop as well.

TMJ Issues

If bruxism stresses the jaw joints (temporomandibular joints, AKA TMJs) a debilitating condition known as a TMJ disorder (TMD) may develop. TMJ disorder carries symptoms that include migraines, earaches, facial pain, frequent headaches, and jaw pain. Without treatment, TMJ disorders can significantly lower the quality of people’s lives.

Treating Jaw Pain and Bruxism

If you suspect that you have a teeth grinding habit, visit Dr. Maria Loukas and Dr. Thanasi Loukas. Upon examining your teeth, they can determine if you are indeed grinding your teeth unconsciously. This may call for a sleep guard which you can wear to protect your teeth from further damage. If you are suffering from TMD, an oral splint may be able to relieve stress on your jaw, thereby treating the disorder.

Visit your Park Ridge IL Dentists

Do you experience frequent jaw pain? Do you suspect that you might have TMD? Contact your Park Ridge dentists, Dr. Maria or Thanasi Loukas, today to schedule an appointment or a consultation by calling our 60068 dental office at (847) 696-1919 and take the first step toward relief. We proudly serve patients from Park Ridge and the surrounding Chicago communities.