With the turn of the season upon us, you have way too much to look forward to in the coming months to have to live in chronic pain.

But that’s exactly what you can expect if you continue to live with undiagnosed TMJ disorder, or TMD.

This is a condition where your temporomandibular joint (TMJ) malfunctions for some reason, whether by accident, injury, or other causes.

You can live pain-free, however, if you trust Dr. Hawkins at Hawkins Complete Dental Service in Zanesville, OH! We can help you feel better, more energized, and comfortable with a custom mouthguard to alleviate pain and tension caused by this condition.

Follow The Clues By Looking At TMD Symptoms

It’s sort of tricky to self-diagnose TMJ disorder mainly for two reasons:

*You’re unaware of your tendency to clench your jaw or grind your teeth.

*Many of the symptoms, on the surface, don’t seem related to one another.

That’s why it’s important to seek the help of a trained, experienced professional like Dr. Hawkins in Zanesville, OH.

Here are some common symptoms you might be experiencing, however:

*Clicking noises in your jaw when you chew

*Earache pain

*Muscle tension in your face, jaw, or neck

*Frequent migraines and headaches

*Daily fatigue

*Lockjaw

Not only do you deserve to live free from these distracting, painful symptoms, but without a diagnosis and intervention, you could be harming your teeth. All the teeth grinding can damage your enamel, wear your teeth down, and also alter your smile’s appearance.

Solve The Mystery With TMJ Evaluation & Treatment!

Dental experts agree on some of the common causes of TMJ disorder, although it’s not yet certain if some of them are actual causes or more consequential to jaw misalignment itself.

Many tend to accept the following as possible reasons behind your pain and discomfort:

*An injury to the face, mouth, or jaw

*Family history

*Arthritis

*Teeth grinding (or bruxism)

*Certain diseases related to connective tissues

When you visit Dr. Hawkins for an evaluation, he can figure out if your issues are related to a malfunctioning or misaligned TMJ.

We’ve found an effective treatment for this disorder is a custom mouthguard, one that keeps your upper and lower jaw from touching while you sleep so you don’t involuntarily clench or grind through the night. This will help alleviate the stress, pressure, and tension you probably have to deal with everyday as a result of this nightly behavior.

Over time, it can also allow your jaw joint to heal.

Call For An Appointment

Dr. Hawkins is an accomplished Zanesville, OH dentist who can evaluate your symptoms and determine if they can all be traced back to TMJ disorder.

If that’s the case, he’ll help you find solutions for more comfortable eating, pain and muscle tension relief, and healing of your jaw joint.

Call our Zanesville, OH dental office today 740-214-1301 or fill out our convenient online form to schedule an appointment.