You can think of your jaw area as a kind of highway system. There’s an elaborate, interconnected network of bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons and nerves around your jaw, and pain that begins there doesn’t end there. That’s why it’s so important that Houston-area patients who are suffering from chronic headaches see our neuromuscular dentist.
If you place your fingers in front of your ears and open and close your mouth, you’ll feel the temporomandibular joint. This, essentially, is your jaw joint. It connects your jaw to the base of your skull.
When your bite or jaw becomes misaligned, the muscles around your temporomandibular joint become irritated. Over a long enough period of time, this irritation develops into temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ).
When you have TMJ, your best bet is to choose a dentist who has trained in the field of neuromuscular dentistry, as Dr. Heather Fleschler has.
Common TMJ symptoms include:
- Chronic tension headaches
- Upper back pain
- Shoulder pain
- Jaw pain
Many of our patients who are suffering from TMJ don’t even know it, as the disorder is easily confused with other conditions. That’s why it’s so important to speak with a dentist like Dr. Fleschler who understands the particulars of TMJ and neuromuscular dentistry. She can devise a customized TMJ treatment plan to alleviate your painful symptoms and restore a balanced bite.
Please contact Dr. Heather Fleschler today to schedule your TMJ consultation. Dr. Fleschler serves patients in the Houston, Texas areas of West University, Bellaire, Meyerland, and River Oaks.