TMJ Dentist in Austin, TX

Relieve jaw pain, headaches, and joint inflammation.

Great Teeth, Better Life

When your mouth isn’t happy, your body won’t be happy either.

A sore jaw, painful headaches, stiff neck muscles, and other aches and pains may all have a surprising dental cause: inflammation of the temporomandibular joint, also known as TMD or TMJ.

This joint, located in the jaw, allows your mouth to open and close. It’s used constantly, whether for eating, speaking, laughing, or just opening and closing your mouth. Unfortunately, it’s also very susceptible to inflammation, which may be caused by:

Stress
Tooth grinding
Misalignment of the teeth

Even chewing gum or poor posture may contribute to TMJ pain.

If you’re in pain and want to learn more about effective dental TMJ treatments, request your appointment at Austin Dental today.

Our Approach to Diagnosing TMJ

Our TMJ treatments start with an accurate diagnosis. Oftentimes, the symptoms of TMJ are our first clue that there’s a problem:

Clicking sounds from the jaw joint
Pain when chewing or speaking
Swollen or tender jaw joints

From there, our TMJ dentist can check your bite and examine your teeth for signs of uneven wear. We can even use high-tech digital imaging technology to get a look at your bone structure and aid in our diagnosis.

From there, we’ll work with you to develop a treatment plan designed to relieve your TMJ pain.

TMJ Pain Relief & Treatment Options

There are a variety of options available to help you relieve both chronic and acute TMJ pain. Our dentists will discuss options with you that include:

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Lifestyle Changes

Reducing your stress level, avoiding caffeine before bed, and other small changes can make a big difference in your jaw pain.

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Anti-inflammatories

Chronic TMJ pain is the result of inflammation of the jaw joint. Anti-inflammatory medications can provide relief by reducing this inflammation.

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Oral Devices

A custom-made oral device can relieve tension on the jaw by preventing tooth grinding and clenching at night.

Will TMJ just go away on its own without treatment?

TMJ is often linked to periods of stress. Stress leads to muscle tension, tooth grinding, and TMJ pain. Often, stress-induced TMJ flare-ups do calm down once the stress is eliminated. However, if chronic pain is being caused by misaligned teeth or other causes, TMJ treatment may be your best option to fix the problem at its root cause.

Can you provide TMJ pain relief without surgery?

Our TMJ specialists consider surgical options to be a final option that isn’t necessary for most of our patients. Instead, we focus on lifestyle changes and minimally-invasive therapies before recommending surgical options.

What happens if TMJ isn’t treated?

While in most cases the pain will fade over time, for some people, the pain can intensify and affect their quality of life and ability to eat and smile naturally. If you’re grinding your teeth, you may increase your risk of tooth decay, as well as chips, cracks, and fractures. Our TMJ treatment options can help with all of this.

The Risks of Untreated TMJ Pain

Premature wear on teeth (and possible chipping/cracking) caused by continued grinding and clenching
Increased risk of decay caused by enamel loss on worn teeth
Chronic jaw inflammation and difficulty chewing/speaking
Lockjaw or even a dislocated jaw
Difficulty sleeping
Hearing issues including tinnitus
Painful migraine headaches

Why Austin Dental?

You’re in good hands at Austin Dental. Our TMJ dentists, hygienists, and staff are friendly, focused on your comfort, and passionate about helping you. Our patients love our warm and inviting office and anxiety-free approach to TMJ treatment.

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“I had so much apprehension going into today after dealing with a large chain where I was made to feel really badly for the state of my teeth. Both the hygienist and doctor were very comforting and I walked away feeling great. I can’t say enough great things about this place and can confidently say that I will be a customer for life.”

– F. J.

Meet Your Dentists

Hoppy Lane, D.D.S.

ADA, TDA, UT San Antonio

Albert Olivares, D.D.S.