11410 Jollyville Rd STE 3102, Austin, TX 78759

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TMJ/TMD Treatment

When there’s trouble with your jaw joints, it can mean chronic pain through your face, head, neck, and shoulders. Good thing it’s not just something you have to live with. At Bruno Integrative Dentistry, we have solutions with not just your jaw but your whole body health in mind.

What Are TMJ & TMD?

The joints that let your mouth open and close are called the temporomandibular joints, or TMJ for short. Ligaments and muscles attach the part of your jaw called the condyle to the articular disc that rides between the upper temporal bone and the condyle.

Chronic clenching and grinding (bruxing) can stretch and damage those muscles and ligaments; likewise, traumatic accidents or whiplash incidents. When this happens, the disc can get out of position – a situation called TMJ dysfunction, or TMD. Symptoms of TMD include

  • Popping, clicking, or grating noises when you open and close your mouth.
  • Locking of the joint when you open or close.
  • Facial pain or pain around the TM joints.
  • Headaches.
  • A misaligned bite.
  • Excessive tooth wear.
  • Fractured teeth.

Finding a Solution for Your TMD

At your first appointment, Dr. Bruno will do a comprehensive exam that includes evaluation of your jaw joints. If she sees signs of TMJ breakdown, she’ll share her findings with you so you can discuss options for addressing the specific problem(s) she identifies.

Dr. Bruno is well regarded for being able to help bring relief even to patients for whom the usual splint therapy has failed. Too often in dentistry, folks choose to guess at or hypothesize causes. With current technology, there’s no reason to guess.

Dr. Bruno will order tests that show your actual TMJ anatomy so she can discuss the risk factors of your joint issues and give you treatment options that make sense. Being able to see the anatomy of the situation allows for a more tailored approach to your treatment. After all, no two joints are exactly the same and no single treatment suits every joint.

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