TMJ

Many people suffer from such common aliments as persistent headaches (especially around the temples), jaw neck or shoulder pain, ringing of their ears or jaw popping. Although these symptoms may be common, they are not necessarily untreatable. Often this is referred to as TMJ or TMD (temporomandibular joint dysfunction). 95 % of the time this is caused by a muscle strain rather than a more serious condition of the joint. This occurs when your muscles strain to close your jaw when they do not fit together in a natural position. This is often exacerbated by clenching and grinding.

You may suffer from this if you clench or grind, see wear on your teeth, gum recession or exposed root areas near your gum line. Headaches and pain are very common. Sometimes the pain can be so severe it is mistaken for tooth pain.

See the section on splints/bite adjustments for more information.