TMJ/TMD Therapy | Millennium Dental | General & Family Dentist | SE Calgary

Your SE Calgary Choice for TMJ/TMD Treatment!

TMJ/TMD Therapy | Millennium Dental | General & Family Dentist | SE Calgary

If you suffer from regular headaches, jaw or neck pain, have trouble opening and closing your mouth when speaking and eating, have noticed that your jaw clicks or pops, and/or have been experiencing radiating pain in your jaw, you might be suffering from TMJ pain, otherwise known as Temporomandibular Dysfunction (TMD). Millennium Dental is here to help! We are pleased to offer TMJ/TMD therapy options to help ease your pain and discomfort, and help you attain better overall health and wellness.

TMJ/TMD Therapy | Millennium Dental | General & Family Dentist | SE Calgary

What is TMJ?

TMJ/TMD Therapy | Millennium Dental | General & Family Dentist | SE Calgary

The temporomandibular joint, or TMJ, is the joint that connects your lower jaw to your skull on both sides of your head. The TMJ allows for the opening and closing of your mouth, as well as moving your jaw from side to side. Generally, the TMJ works well and causes no problems for the majority of people. For some people however, problems arise with the TMJ, which can cause significant pain and affect their overall health.

What is TMD? | Millennium Dental | General & Family Dentist | SE Calgary

What is TMD?

What is TMD? | Millennium Dental | General & Family Dentist | SE Calgary

Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD) are problems associated with the movement of the jaw, and pain in and around the jaw. For some people, the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) becomes stressed and overworked. When this happens, it can lead to TMD. Bruxism, which presents as grinding or clenching of the teeth, is one of the most common forms of TMD.

TMJ/TMD Therapy | Millennium Dental | General & Family Dentist | SE Calgary

Symptoms of TMD

TMJ/TMD Therapy | Millennium Dental | General & Family Dentist | SE Calgary
  • Difficulty opening or closing your mouth, or your jaw may even lock preventing any motion at all
  • Head, neck, face, or shoulder discomfort
  • Ear pain or hearing difficulties, including ringing in your ears
  • Teeth grinding or clenching, which may be loud enough to wake up your sleeping partner
  • Fatigue
  • Popping or grating sounds in the jaw joints
  • Headaches or migraines
Bruxism | Millennium Dental | General & Family Dentist | SE Calgary

Bruxism

Bruxism | Millennium Dental | General & Family Dentist | SE Calgary

For many people, the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), or the joint that connects your lower jaw to your skull on both sides of your head, becomes overworked and stressed, which can lead to TMD. Bruxism is a common form of TMD. It is characterized by grinding, gnashing, or clenching of the teeth. You may unconsciously do this while you are awake (awake bruxism), or clench and grind while you sleep (sleep bruxism). While mild bruxism often requires no treatment, for some people, bruxism can be severe and frequent enough that jaw pain and discomfort, headaches, damaged teeth, and other serious problems occur.

TMJ/TMD Therarpy | Millennium Dental | General & Family Dentist | SE Calgary

Symptoms of Bruxism:

TMJ/TMD Therarpy | Millennium Dental | General & Family Dentist | SE Calgary
  • Teeth grinding or clenching, which may be loud enough to wake up your sleeping partner
  • Teeth that are chipped, flattened, fractured, or loose
  • Worn tooth enamel
  • Increased tooth sensitivity or tooth pain
  • Tired or tight jaw muscles
  • Difficulty opening or closing your mouth, or your jaw may even lock, preventing any motion at all
  • Jaw, neck, or face pain or soreness
  • Pain that feels like an earache
  • Frequent headaches or migraines
  • Damage from chewing on the inside of your cheek
  • Sleep disruption
Natural Fit Orthotic

How We Treat TMJ/TMD (including Bruxism)

Natural Fit Orthotic

At Millennium Dental, our Dentists use a special machine called the K7 Evaluation System with Muscle EMGs and ultra-low frequency T.E.N.S. (Transcutaneous Electro Neural Stimulation) to help relieve your TMJ pain.

The T.E.N.S. unit works to relax your face and jaw by delivering gentle pulses to your facial muscles. This gentle pulsation increases the blood flow to the muscles and helps relax the muscles of your face and jaw so your Millennium Dentist can determine the most natural position of your unique bite.

We use the K7 Unit with Muscle EMGs to precisely measure and study the opening and closing patterns of your jaw. This allows our dentist to track your jaw movements on a computer. Doing this allows us to detect any abnormal movements in your jaw muscles that may go undetected.

Using the K7 Unit with Muscle EMGs & T.E.N.S can even help us treat your migraine headaches because the machine relaxes your muscles and helps you find the healthiest, most comfortable position for your jaw, getting rid of your sore jaw!

Because of the variety of symptoms associated with TMD/Bruxism, discovering the right treatment can be complicated. It can involve several healthcare professionals, including physiotherapists, chiropractors, massage therapists, etc. With proper diagnosis, Millennium Dental may be able to determine the root cause of your problem and work with you to come up with a customized treatment plan for your specific needs. The goal is to help relieve your pain and discomfort, and to address any damage associated with your TMD.

Bruxism Treatment Options | Millennium Dental | General & Family Dentist | SE Calgary

Appliance Treatment for TMJ/TMD, Including Bruxism

Bruxism Treatment Options | Millennium Dental | General & Family Dentist | SE Calgary

After establishing the root cause of your TMJ symptoms, we can also use specialized appliance therapy to support the jaw joint, muscles, and teeth in a harmonious position. Our dentists are trained to offer long-term solutions for TMJ/TMD, which can include bite rehabilitation and orthodontic procedures.

The best appliance treatment for bruxism is a bruxism grinding appliance. A bruxism grinding appliance is a custom made dental appliance that is worn over your teeth at night to help realign the jaw and help ease the pain associated with any misalignment. The appliance also protects the teeth from the premature wear and tear resulting from the forces of tooth grinding. A bruxism grinding appliance treats bruxism before there is permanent, severe damage to the teeth. It also helps decrease the symptoms of headaches and pain in the face, cranial, neck, shoulder, arm, and back regions.

Botox® | Millennium Dental | General & Family Dentist | SE Calgary

Botox® Treatment

Botox® | Millennium Dental | General & Family Dentist | SE Calgary

Botox has been proven to provide relief from headaches and facial pain, and to reduce the symptoms of TMJ jaw pain. Botox relaxes the muscles at the injection site and reduces the intensity of contraction of the muscles. This option has transformed the way dentists can plan treatment for TMJ therapy.

In addition to using Botox® to treat dental and facial pain, Millennium Dental offers Botox® treatments for cosmetic purposes, as an effective way to reduce fine lines and wrinkles.

Millennium Dental is here to help you deal with your TMJ/TMD so you can get back to pain-free living! If you are experiencing jaw pain, coupled with any other symptoms of TMD, please do not hesitate to contact us at (403) 236-4443 and we will be happy to help!

We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Call Millennium Dental at (403) 236-4443 to set up your TMJ/TMD Therapy Appointment today!