TMJ – Temporomandibular Joint Disorder – is an issue that is suffered by more people than you might think. It is known by a number of different names such as jaw clenching, teeth grinding, bruxism, and several others, but they all refer to the same thing. TMJ can lead to any or
all of the following symptoms:
Headaches
Aching or stiff neck
Aching or stiff shoulders
Backaches
Earaches, ear pain, ringing in the ears
Jaw pain
Tooth grinding (bruxism) and jaw clenching
Popping or clicking in the jaw joint
Facial pain
Numbness in the fingers and toes
Vertigo (dizziness)
Undiagnosable tooth pain
By far the most common symptom is the first one – headaches. This is unfortunate because it is often diagnosed as migraines, and in that case the doctor will prescribe strong painkillers that unfortunately won’t work if the problem is TMJ. The painkillers can also become addictive, which is not good either.
The symptoms described above are actually usually the result of a misalignment of the way that the teeth fit together and the way that the jaw thinks they should fit. Among other things, this may be the result of sports injuries, or a car accident, which can result in the misalignment. The difference can actually be very small, but it results in spasms between the muscles in the jaw joint and the head and neck.
Muscle Spasms Do Not Show Up on X-Rays
Now, most experts consider that headaches and neck pain are often caused by muscle spasms, but unfortunately these don’t show up on X-rays and other lab tests, and this is why TMJ is often diagnosed incorrectly as migraines.
If you think that you could be suffering from TMJ, you may need TMJ surgery in San Francisco, so you should make an appointment to see our Dr. Alex Rabinovich for a free consultation. This is because TMJ can be a degenerative condition, which means that it will not get better, but only get worse.
As an expert maxillofacial and oral surgeon, Dr. Rabinovich has years of experience in the diagnosis and treatment of TMJ and carrying out TMJ surgery in San Francisco. He has the very latest 3D scanner, called NewTom, which provides him with a full 3D picture of your jaw in horizontal and vertical planes. This will enable him to quickly determine if the problem is, indeed, TMJ.
If it is, then he can make an appointment for you to undergo the required TMJ surgery in San Francisco that will reset your jaw as required and relieve you of what might otherwise be years of ongoing and unexplained pain.
Click on the Contact Us link at the top of the page to make your free appointment with Dr. Rabinovich.