TMJ and Bruxism Treatment
If there were an award for the most underappreciated joints in the human body, your jaw joints could be real contenders. They’re powerful, with a bite force of over 150 pounds per square inch. And they're steadfast, steady enough to open and close your mouth hundreds of times per day for speaking, eating, yawning, and a dozen other functions. So, if you wake with facial muscle pain, chronic neck and shoulder pain or popping in your jaw, your jaw joint – also called your temporomandibular joint or TMJ – might not be functioning correctly.
If this dysfunction goes untreated, inflammation and irritation may build up in your jaws, leading to a TMJ disorder. Some people who suffer from TMJ problems may also have issues with teeth grinding, known as bruxism. The good news is that we can help address these painful maladies by finding the source. Starting with an exam and accurate diagnosis, the Dentists @ Belmore team can provide helpful treatment options.
Tell-Tale Signs of TMJ Disorders
Multiple indicators point to problems in your jaw muscles and joints, several being pronounced as you wake up in the morning. However, any of the issues listed below can be symptoms:
- Headaches, including migraines
- Clicking sounds in your jaw joint
- Broken or worn teeth
- Trouble opening and closing your mouth
- Ringing in your ears (tinnitus)
- General pain in your TMJ
If you are experiencing any of these issues, we advise you to schedule a consultation so we can accurately diagnose your condition and provide treatment.
How TMJ Disorders and Bruxism Are Related
Bruxism is the clinical term for persistent teeth grinding, often during sleep, so the action is unconscious. In the same way, TMJ disorders are also outside conscious control. Bruxism and TMJ problems tend to be chronic and progressive, so waiting to seek treatment is not advisable. The good news is that both conditions respond positively to similar treatments, including the use of a nightguard.
Comfortable TMJ and Bruxism Solutions
Dr Ibrahim will discuss your health history at our Sydney, NSW dental clinic and thoroughly examine your teeth and jaws. Then, with the help of 3-D digital images, he can pinpoint your trouble areas before determining a course of treatment. This step is crucial for Dr Ibrahim to decide if he can treat your case or if you need more extensive care from a specialist.
Next, we may offer the most modern and comfortable nylon nightguards. This appliance is tailored to your teeth, and you wear it while you sleep. The soft material protects your teeth and jaw joints from the impact of TMJ disorders and bruxism by absorbing the forces and distributing them along your entire tooth line.
This mouth guard also helps combat TMJ problems caused by misalignments. Dr Ibrahim designs it to slightly reposition the jaw and help remove tension from your muscles and other connective tissues.
Long-Term Holistic Approach to TMJ Problems
In many cases, you may be surprised at how a relatively simple device can bring so much pain relief. Dr Ibrahim may also advise you on other techniques to maintain that relief. Our team firmly believe in educating you about the importance of consistent mouthguard use, managing stress and avoiding certain activities before bed. We are committed to working with you so you can restore your general well-being over the long term.
We Treat Chronic Jaw, Head, and Neck Pain in Belmore
You don’t have to live with chronic pain from TMJ disorders or bruxism. Call Dr Ibrahim today so he can assess your jaw and mouth health, using leading-edge tools to make an accurate diagnosis, and advise treatment. Our team looks forward to seeing you and helping you find the relief you deserve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here at The Dentists @ Belmore, we try our best to respect your time and we expect our patients to do the same. Arriving late (more than 15 minutes), short notice cancellations and failure to attend leads to disruptions to our patients and staff.
As a small privately-owned dental practice, we are financially strained when patients miss appointments. We are not a large corporation and we do not treat our patients as numbers.
We like to give our patients the full scope of our knowledge and care, and we like each patient experience to be personalised, as dental care should be. We aim to provide you with an exceptional service at an affordable cost. Chair time lost to no shows or short notice cancellations impacts our ability to run our small business.
It is in ours and our patients’ best interest that we keep lost chair time to a minimum.
We ask our patients to give at least 24 hour notice before cancellation or rescheduling. It is very difficult to fill in these appointments, so please let us know well ahead of time if you need to reschedule.
Holding your appointment time means turning away other patients in urgent need of dental care. Therefore, any missed or short notice cancellations will attract a cancellation fee of $50.
Our cancellation policy is as follows:
- Our patients are required to pay a $50 holding fee to secure their appointment.
- The holding fee will be taken off the final cost of your appointment.
- Cancelling an appointment with more than 24 hour notice is absolutely fine. We can accommodate for this.
- Failing to attend, rescheduling, or cancelling an appointment with less than 24 hours notice leads to a $50 cancellation fee, which means forfeiting the $50 holding deposit.
- If you wish to re-book after cancelling within 24 hours, you will be required to pay another $50 holding fee.
- We always send out an SMS reminder or we call our patients well in advance to confirm the appointment.
- We reserve the right to ask for the cost of treatment upfront before making another appointment. This is a last resort option only if there is a recurring cancellation pattern.
- New patients who fail to attend or cancel with less than 24 hours notice on two consecutive occasions will not be rebooked.
For long appointments such as whitening or root canals, we will require a deposit at the time of booking.
Meet Our Doctor:
Dr Ibrahim Al-Salti Principal Dentist & Owner
BDent (Hons) | BPharm (Hons)
Dr Ibrahim is the principal dentist at The Dentists @ Belmore. He is a graduate of The University of Sydney Schools of Dentistry and Pharmacy.
Since graduation, Dr Ibrahim held different positions across NSW in both metropolitan and rural settings. During that time, he also undertook extensive further training both locally and abroad in locations spanning the United States, Europe and the Middle East. Dr Ibrahim still keeps up with the latest in research and treatments to offer his patients leading care.
When it comes to patient care Dr Ibrahim believes in ...