Holistic Dentistry Helping with TMD

The temporomandibular joint is the hinge between the temporal bone in the skull and the lower jaw. Each person has two in total, and each one contains blood vessels, nerves and bones. This joint moves the jaw forward and back, and side-to-side to aid in talking, chewing and yawning. Holistic dentistry acknowledges that if the TMJ is unhealthy, the body will produce other symptoms that are seemingly unassociated to this degenerative disease.

TMJ syndrome, or TMD is a type of disorder that causes pain to the joint and the surrounding structures. Holistic dentistry believes that it can severely impact a person’s quality of life depending on the severity. Talking, chewing, yawning and opening the mouth in general can become very difficult and painful.

• Face, neck or shoulder pain when you chew, speak when opening the mouth
• Difficulty chewing or discomfort when biting
• Dizziness, earaches or hearing loss
• Lock Jaw
• Clicking, popping or grinding sounds in your jaw when opening or closing the mouth (with or without pain)
• Facial swelling
• Toothaches

• Grinding or clenching
• Stress or anxiety
• Injury to your jaw, head or neck
• Osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis in the TM joints

• Using a holistic dentistry approach to determine and treat the cause of the TMD, such as stress or anxiety
• Nightguard to relieve pressure on teeth and joints when grinding/clenching
• Neuromuscular dentistry