Kids complain about aches and pains all the time. Their neck hurts because they've spent too much time hunched over a phone or tablet. Their back hurts because their backpack is too heavy. They're sore from sports or dance or just being an active kid. Maybe it’s just...
Hear the word “laser,” and you probably think about a device that cuts. Depending on your age, you might think of sci fi weapons or industrial cutting tools or medical procedures that involve removing tissue with extreme precision. Even in dentistry, lasers are used...
Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are rarely simple or straightforward. Then again, the term covers a wide range of problems that can involve the two temporomandibular joints (TMJs), one on either side of the head. These joints are constantly at work. They guide...
If you’re an adult who’s ever had to deal with jaw pain, you probably remember how long it took to recognize it for what it was. The headaches that seemed to crop up without cause. The tension around the ears. The clicking. The stiffness. The sense that something was...
Some things just seem to go together naturally. Peanut butter and jelly. Baseball and hot dogs. Sleep problems and jaw pain. Okay, maybe that last pairing doesn’t hit quite the same note as the others, but as a new study out of South Korea shows, insomnia appears to...
When you think about jaw pain and TMJ disorders, it’s easy to get caught up in the mechanics of it all: misaligned bites, worn cartilage, muscle tension, joint dysfunction. It makes intuitive sense, after all. Something’s wrong with the jaw joint? Fix the joint!...
When lasers came on the scene, they revolutionized dentistry. Precise, minimally invasive treatments that were once unimaginable became possible. From soft tissue procedures to oral surgery, lasers have become indispensable tools that allow us to provide more...
You hear so much about stress causing teeth grinding and grinding causing TMJ disorders (TMDs), no one could blame you for thinking that it’s their primary cause. In reality, TMDs have many potential causes - traumatic injuries, for instance, or misaligned bites;...
Splints are often the first treatment that a dentist will recommend for a patient with a diagnosed TMJ disorder (TMD). These custom-fitted mouth guards can reduce pain by helping the jaw muscles relax and preventing teeth grinding. And sometimes, they’re enough....
While people usually associate TMJ problems with things like headaches, jaw pain, and facial discomfort, their effects can turn up far beyond the jaw and head. It’s one reason why TMJ disorders (TMD) can go undiagnosed for a very long time. The ABCs of the TMJ To...
(949) 420-9669