TMJ & Bruxism

Temporomandibular joint dysfunction refers to a disorder of the jaw resulting in compromised movement and function of the jaw joint and surrounding muscle. TMD (aka TMJ) can cause  symptoms such as swelling of the jaw, lock-jaw, difficulty chewing, bruxism and pain in the head, face, shoulders and neck.

Bruxism refers to the jaw clenching and teeth grinding that often occurs at night which can crack and damage teeth. TMD is a disorder of the jaw joint which prevents it from opening and closing properly. TMD may manifest symptoms such as bruxism, as well as jaw swelling, head, neck and shoulder aches and pain, difficulty chewing and lock jaw.

Injections into the masseter muscle in your jaw can provide relief from bruxism and help train your masseter muscles not to clench.

The effects can last from 3 to 6 months.

Custom-made nighttime mouth guards know as Nociceptive Trigeminal Inhibition Devices (knows as NTIs)  are specifically  designed and fitted to  your mouth using our 3D scanner and printed from a durable material which deters the clenching and grinding habits of the patient. Your guard is fitted and adjusted by our dentist to ensure it is comfortable and a tight fit for you. Over the counter sports mouth guards are not only generic and ill-fitting, but their soft material actually encourages patients to clench – making them counter-productive in treating bruxism.