Disorders can affect many different body and mental aspects of a human. Some disorders can change your moods or the way you walk. Others can affect your physical appearance or handicap your senses and there are some that affect the jaw joints and surrounding muscle ligaments on your face. Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) is a disorder that adults may suffer from stress and anxiety. If left untreated it can require major oral surgery to fix the damage associated with TMJ. How to cure TMJ permanently starts with understanding the triggers and using preventative measures.
There are a few terms that are interchangeable and they all essentially mean the same. TMJ and bruxism mean “teeth grinding” or “teeth clenching”. These are habits brought on by a variety of triggers, but whether you have bruxism or TMJ, you’re at risk for damaging your teeth, and jaw joints, and potentially wearing down the bone in your jaw resulting in your face changing shape! Here are some potential triggers of TMJ along with the solution of how to cure TMJ permanently.
Let’s first start with the triggers of TMJ and how you can reduce them to potentially cure TMJ permanently. Stress and anxiety are the number one factors causing teeth grinding. When you are dealing with personal, relationship, family, or social issues, you may begin to have anxiety. Work, school, and projects may also lead to stress. Dealing with stress and anxiety needs to be dealt with in a healthy manner. Talking with someone about your emotions, practicing peaceful meditation, or coming up with stress management plans may help relieve you of your stress.
When your stress and anxiety are not dealt with properly, your mind will decompress your emotions while you sleep. Unpacking your stress, your body will release it in unhealthy ways like teeth grinding or clenching your jaw subconsciously while you sleep. Teeth grinding and clenching will lead to morning headaches, aching jaw joints, sore muscles, and extra tooth sensitivity that may expose nerves.
What you put into your body may also potentially increase the risk of TMJ. Drinking caffeine and alcohol affects the nervous system. When your body can’t shut down properly at night, it may find other ways to exert that extra energy including grinding your teeth at night. Your muscles react to how your nervous system is functioning as alcohol changes reactions in your body. Poor sleep cycles and lack of deep sleep because of too much alcohol may trigger teeth grinding.
Can TMJ Be Cured?
How to cure TMJ permanently starts with preventative measures and monitoring your stress levels as well as what you intake. One of the best preventative measures is to wear a night guard. That way, even if there is a TMJ flare up you will be protected. These custom oral devices are worn at night while you sleep and add a barrier of protection against grinding and clenching. Your dentist may craft you one but it can be expensive. SportingSmiles has been crafting night guards since 2009, and can craft you the exact night guard your dentist would make but at half the cost and all from the comfort of your home.
There are other ways of curing TMJ permanently that include invasion procedures. Some people who suffer from TMJ may have structural issues with their jaw bones or improper teeth placement. Consult your orthodontist if you believe your bruxism is caused by the structure of your teeth or jaw. You can receive a dental exam and come up with the best solution to permanently cure TMJ.
You may seek out physical therapy to cure TMJ. These exercises require strengthening your jaw muscles. Expect a lot of tongue-ups, moving your jaw forward, and chin tucks. Your physical therapist may use resistant bands to strengthen your muscles as you open and close. It may take weeks or months to see results but it is an option when you want to try and fix your bruxism.
When you suffer from teeth grinding and clenching, your muscles become inflamed. It takes time for them to heal but to speed up the process you may seek out nerve stimulation from electrical shocks that are provided by your doctor. These little shocks can help your muscles heal faster by stimulating them.
You have a variety of options for how to cure TMJ permanently but your best chance to avoid all the damage done by this condition is to prevent it in the first place. Wearing a custom night guard is the best defense against bruxism and will provide protection. SportingSmiles offers six different custom night guards that are designed to prevent clenching and grinding. If you suffer from teeth grinding, these guards will protect you against any damage done to your teeth.
By ordering the SportingSmiles patented impression kit, you will take easy impressions at home and ship them back to the SportingSmiles lab where our dental techs will craft you a night guard designed to prevent TMJ. This option is much more affordable than the dentist and offers the same high-quality premium guard but at half the cost. TMJ can be cured with preventive measures. If you do suffer from bruxism, there are a few options for you but don’t let it get to that point. Sleep with a night guard and protect your jaw, facial muscles, and teeth from the dangers of bruxism.
