What Is Tmd?

Posted 12/9/08 Dental Implants Dental implants can help people attain a smile that they can be proud of. Many people are self-conscious about their smiles because of missing teeth. Missing teeth cannot only affect your smile and self-confidence, they can affect your overall health. Dental implants are often a great choice for people in these situations. Ways in which missing teeth can affect your overall health include: • Affects the ability to chew certain types of foods. This can lead to nutritional deficiencies because of missing vitamins and minerals • Can lead to problems with your jawbone and joints and can even cause deterioration of the bone. This deterioration can actually change the shape of your face • Can lead other teeth to shift out of their correct position, affecting your bite and jaw alignment. Are You a Good Candidate? While your dentist will be able to tell you whether or not you are a good candidate for dental implants, some of the basic criteria are: • You’re missing one or more teeth • You have reached full maturity to ensure that your jawbone has stopped growing • The bone structure of your jaw is good enough to support the implants • You do not have gum disease or unhealthy oral tissue • You don’t have any illnesses or specific health conditions which could affect healing after the surgery • You fully understand the procedure and can invest in the amount of time it will take to complete The Implant Process The dental implant process is one of the slowest dental procedures, relying on time and several different steps. However, the success rate of dental implants is extremely high, so even though it takes time, the results are excellent. When a person undergoes a dental implants procedure, there are several steps that have to be taken: • First, the implants, which will take the place of the person’s tooth root, are surgically placed into the patient’s jawbone. • After the implant posts are placed, the patient will need for their jawbone to heal and grow around the posts. This will permanently fuse the posts to their jawbone. This typically takes about three months. • When the implant posts have fused to the bone, then the patient will return to have a temporary crown placed on the implants. This temporary crown is used so that the patient’s gums will heal and shape around the crown. This typically takes another couple months. • Once the gums have completed healed and regained their shape, the patient will return to have their permanent crowns placed. Dental implants are a much better option than using other dental devices to fix tooth loss. Once the permanent crowns have been placed, it’s very difficult to tell that they are not real teeth. Before starting a dental implant procedure, it is important to undergo a comprehensive exam, along with education and preparation for the implant procedure. If live in the Chicago area and you suffer from missing teeth, then there is a chance that dental implants might be a good option for you. Please contact the Colonial Dental Group to schedule a complimentary consultation. Posted 12/31/08 Why Choose Dental Implants? Are you one of the many people who suffer from missing teeth? Do you feel self-conscious about your smile? If so, then dental implants might be a great option for you. Dental implants are not only be used to replace one or more teeth, they can also be used to anchor bridges and dentures. Effects of Missing Teeth on Your Health Along with affecting your smile and confidence, missing teeth can also have an effect on your health. It is important to understand the role that teeth play in your overall well-being. Other problems associated with missing teeth include: • Teeth moving or shifting out of place due to the empty space next to them • Problems eating or chewing certain foods, which could lead to a nutritional deficiency in the body • Problems with the teeth resting properly when the mouth is closed, leading to TMD • Jawbone deterioration because the bone that once supported the tooth starts to dissolve • Gum and mouth tissue deterioration Dental Implants Dental implants can fix these problems or keep them from occurring. The entire process can take many months, but the results are worth the wait. The steps involved in a dental implant procedure are: • First, the dental implant posts, which are typically made of a titanium alloy, are surgically placed in your jawbone. Once they have been placed, you will have to wait for your jawbone to completely heal around your implant. When your bone has healed, the posts are permanently fused in your jaw. This typically takes three to four months. • After your jawbone has healed completely, you will return to the dentist to have temporary crowns placed on the posts. Once the temporary crowns have been placed, you will have to wait for another month or two until your gums have healed and reshaped around the crowns. • Once your gums have healed you can return to have your permanent crowns placed on the posts. After these are placed, you will be ready to show the world your new smile. Are You a Candidate? Not everyone is a candidate for dental implants. However, good candidates for dental implants include: • Being in good overall health • Having healthy gums and mouth tissue • Having sufficient bone to support the implant posts. It is important that you be old enough for your jawbone to have completed growing (at least in your early 20s • Comfortable investing the time and care needed for a successful dental implant procedure. Before you begin your dental implant procedure, you will undergo a thorough examination and consultation with your oral surgeon. Your condition will be evaluated to make sure you are a good candidate and your expectations will be discussed so that each party involved is on the same page. If you are considering dental implants in the Chicago, Illinois area, please contact Colonial Dental Group for a private consultation. Posted 1/30/09 Jaw Alignment and the Effect on the Body It is truly amazing how intricate the human body is and how one area can so drastically affect another area in the body. This includes the effect of proper jaw alignment on the body. You may have heard the terms TMD and TMJ thrown around, but might not know how these affect you – or even what they mean. What are TMJ and TMD? TMJ stands for the temporomandibular joint. This is the joint that attached your jaw to your skull. If you place your finger right in front of your ears and opened and close your mouth, you can feel the movement of the TMJ. It is a ball-and-socket joint that helps us chew our food, swallow, yawn, and speak. TMD stands for temporomandibular joint disorder, which is any disease or condition that affects the temporomandibular joint. It is a rather generic term that can encompass a host of conditions. It is estimated that close to half of the population experiences TMD related symptoms and pain at some point in their life. Symptoms of TMD How do you know if you are suffering from TMD? The most common symptoms of TMD are: • Headaches • Migraines • Clicking or popping in the jaw • Soreness in the jaw or face • Pain in the neck, shoulders, or back • Ear pain or ringing in the ears • Problems chewing • Cracked or chipped teeth • Stiffness or soreness in the jaw upon waking Causes of TMD It is hard to know what causes TMD and even today doctors are not completely sure why it happens. There are some reasons that have been known to create TMD, and some of those include: • An accident where you were hit in the face by an object or you suffered some other sort of trauma to the jaw • Clenching and grinding of the teeth (bruxism) • Stress, which can create muscle spasms • Poor alignment of the teeth, called malocclusion • Arthritis in the TMJ • Tumors in the TMJ Treatment for TMD If you suffer from any of the above symptoms, it is time to talk to your dentist. They will provide a thorough examination including: • Reviewing your history with the problem. It is important to discuss when you started noticing symptoms and if they occur at certain times. • Examining your jaw and how it moves. This will allow them to see where the misalignment is. • Looking at your teeth for cracks, chips, or signs of grinding. • Examining the muscles in your face and neck to locate any tenderness. TMD is treatable once you and your dentist have identified the specific problems. Treatment sometimes includes: • Modifying your diet to avoid hard foods and eating smaller pieces of food. • Forms of physical therapy which can include heat and massage treatments and ultrasounds • Using a nightguard, which can help control clenching and grinding while sleeping • Stress reduction • Pain relievers, muscle relaxers and anti-inflammatorily medications • Bite adjustments, which could include reshaping the teeth so they fit together properly. If you are one of the many people in Chicago who suffer from migraine headaches as a result of TMD, please contact Colonial Dental Group for a consultation with one of our experienced neuromuscular dentists. Posted 1/30/09 Why Visit a Neuromuscular Dentist? For many people in today’s world, headaches and neck pain are a daily occurrence. We often attribute the pain to the stress we are under or how busy we are. The pain is often overlooked and not diagnose. Are you one of the millions of people who suffer from symptoms of TMD, such as: • Headaches and migraines • Pain or soreness in the jaw • Pain in the neck, shoulder and back • Teeth that are overly sensitive • Clicking or popping in the jaw • Locking of the jaw and not being able to open or close your mouth • Teeth that are cracked, chipped or worn • Depression or irritability • Ear pain or ringing in the ears All of these are symptoms of TMD, or temporomandibular joint disorder. TMD is a term that refers to any disease or disorder of the TMJ (temporomandibular joint). The TMJ is the most complex joint system in our body and if it is out of alignment, it can cause pain in many other parts of the body. If you suffer from any or all of these symptoms, then you should seek the help of an experienced neuromuscular dentist. What is Neuromuscular Dentistry? Neuromuscular dentistry is a specialized dental practice that differs from traditional dentistry. It is quickly becoming a successful option of treatment for the many people who suffer from problems in the TMJ. Neuromuscular dentists are trained to understand the jaw and the relationship between the joint and the nerves and muscles surrounding it. TMD usually occurs when there is a misalignment of the jaw or problems with the joint. These specially trained dentists will use a variety of exams and techniques in order to treat the disorder. Treating TMD TMD is treatable and reversible with the help of a neuromuscular dentist. The treatments can range from conservative treatments to surgical treatments. Conservative TMD treatments are the most common treatments because the majority of people who suffer from this disorder do not have degenerative problems with the joint. These treatments can include: • Physical therapy of the jaw • Applying hot and cold packs to the jaw • Eating soft foods and avoiding foods that require excessive chewing or tearing • Splints or biteplates Surgical TMD treatments include injections or surgery of the tissue surrounding the TMJ. These are typically only used when there has been severe deterioration of the jaw. These forms of treatment are not reversible, so they should only be used as a last resort. The cost of receiving neuromuscular dentistry treatments are much higher than traditional dentistry treatments, but if you are living life with constant pain, then the cost is worth it. There is no reason to go through life suffering pain from TMD. If you are one of the many people in Chicago who suffer from migraines or any of these symptoms, please contact the experienced neuromuscular dentists at the Colonial Dental Group. They can assess your condition and work with you on a specialized treatment plan designed for your specific needs. Scheduled 2-2-09 posted 02/18/09 Tooth Discoloration Many people have discolored teeth and it makes then very self-conscious about their smile. While slight discoloration is expected as we age, there are some things that can speed up the darkening of our teeth: • Due to the extremely high acid content in soft drinks, the deterioration of the enamel on your teeth is sped up. • Drinking red wine, coffee and tea. Any dark liquids have the potential to stain your teeth. Heat from tea and coffee causes are small fractures in your tooth enamel. • Using tobacco products. Smoking will cause a yellowish build up on the teeth. These kinds of stains are typically more difficult to remove and will take longer to lighten using whitening treatments. • Certain medications. The two most common medications that have been shown to darken teeth are tetracycline and minocycline. • Too much fluoride, whether it be water or different fluoride based products. Fluoride discoloration typically happens during the development stage of the tooth. • Any sort of of trauma to your teeth can lead to a discoloration. This happens because there is a tiny hemorrhage inside the tooth and the blood that is forced in there will make the tooth appear darker. Over-the-Counter Tooth Whitening There are many tooth whitening products available on the market today. However, they may not be effective or even damage your teeth. Products that may whiten your teeth include: • Chewing gum doesn’t have much of a bleaching agent, so whitening results are very minor. However, activating the saliva may help some. • Whitening toothpastes should only be used in moderation due to the abrasives they contain. Long use of those abrasive materials will actually wear down the tooth enamel. • At-home tooth bleaching kits can provide decent results, but they can be difficult and messy to use. Also, since they typically don’t provide dental dams, ingestion of the bleach could upset people’s stomachs. Professional Teeth Whitening While any of the products above have the capability of providing results, but professional bleaching services are a better choice because: • The bleaching agents are much stronger in the professional products which will lead to faster and better results. • They are safer to use because your dentist will use the proper methods to ensure you don’t ingest the bleach, unlike over-the-counter products. • Your dentist can assess you condition and your expectations and help you make the right procedure for your needs. Dental Bonding and Porcelain Veneers If your staining is too severe, it is important to realize that tooth bleaching might not give you the results you desire. However, there are still a couple options to gaining the beautiful, white smile you’ve always wanted: • Tooth bonding • Porcelain veneers Dental bonding is a procedure in which a type of resin is sculpted and adhered to your teeth. This product is extremely strong and durable and it is indistinguishable from your natural tooth enamel. This resin is essentially replacing the enamel on your tooth, which will hide stubborn stains. Tooth bonding is quick and can typically be completed in one office visit. Porcelain veneers are another option to hide stubborn stains. The veneers are very thin layers of porcelain that are affixed to the tooth. Your natural tooth is carefully filed down in order for the veneers to properly adhere to the tooth. This option will take slightly longer and involve a couple of trips to the office. If you are one of the many people in the Chicago area with discolored teeth, then there is a tooth whitening procedure for you. Please contact Chicago’s Colonial Dental Group to speak with their experienced cosmetic dentists. Scheduled 2-23-09 What is TMD? TMD and TMJ are often used interchangeably, though they do not mean the same thing. You may have even heard your own dentist use the terms when speaking to you about your jaw. TMJ stands for the temporomandibular joint. The TMJ attaches the lower jaw to the skull and it can move up and down, from side to side, and forward and back. The TMJ is the most complex joint in the human body and its proper function allows us to eat, swallow, speak, and yawn. TMD stands for temporomandibular joint disorder. This is a broad term and can refer to any disease or disorder that occurs in the jaw joint. Some of the symptoms of TMD are: • Headaches • Migraines • Pain in the face or jaw • Clicking or popping of the jaw • Locking of the jaw • Neck, shoulder, back or arm pain • Difficulty chewing or swallowing • Pain or ringing in the ears • Cracked, chipped or worn teeth • Swelling on the side of the face Causes and Treatment of TMD The causes of TMD are not very well known because the disorder is so broad and varies from person to person. Some of the causes that have been shown to lead to TMD are: • Suffering an accident where you received whiplash or were hit in the face with an object • Stress, which can lead to clenching or grinding your teeth • Eating foods that require your mouth to open too wide may cause ligaments in your TMJ to tear • Arthritis in the temporomandibular joint TMD can be treated with the help of an experienced neuromuscular dentist. They will do a thorough exam of your mouth, bite, and joint as well as talk to you about your history with TMD. Some of the treatment options can include: • Pain medications, whether over-the-counter or prescription, to be used as your dentist prescribes • Jaw stretching and relaxation exercises that you can do at home and at work • A biteplate or mouth guard, which is one of the most common forms of treatment for TMD • Adjustment of the bite by filing the teeth to fit together properly • Repositioning the jaw • Dental work, such as crowns or bridges to help correct and balance the bite • In very rare cases, surgical procedures can be done, such as a TMJ replacement, but this is an extreme case.