TMJ Treatment West Kelowna

In any kind of health-related field, there is great risk and controversy that comes with claiming there is a permanent cure to a condition. While the human body is incredibly resilient and many dental professionals claim that you can permanently cure TMJ, we're going to veer away from this guarantee.

However, we can confidently say that TMJ can be managed with the help of a TMJ treatment West Kelowna specialist.

Curable suggests a complete restoration of health where the condition is fully eliminated with no lingering symptoms or complications.

Treatable describes the managing and decreasing of symptoms of a condition over time while not implying that the condition is completely eradicated.

TMJ is a complex case because the jaw joint is made of fibrocartilage, the same kind also found in your knee and in the discs between your vertebrae. Because it cannot regenerate, injuries and wear and tear to this tissue can lead to permanent issues.

In the early stages of TMJ, you absolutely have the control to prevent serious damage to your jaw joint. If you're looking for TMJ treatment in West Kelowna, we offer a variety of holistic TMJ management services to stop further deterioration and manage the pain you're in.

• Orthodontic devices for night and day wear
• Performing routine exercises for the face and jaw
• Reducing stress in your life
• Decreasing caffeine intake
• Avoiding hard, chewing or sticky foods

In extreme stages of TMJ, greater intervention may be needed, such as surgery. While this is widely considered a last resort, it can be necessary when treatment isn't applied soon enough.

Don't let TMJ interfere with your quality of life. Health & Beauty Dentistry is a judgement zone and we're here to help support you in finding realistic, holistic TMJ treatment in West Kelowna that align with your lifestyle and budget!

When you are living with a TMJ Disorder, you are most likely in pain for most of the day, every day. Living in pain is not living at all. Since most TMJ Disorders are caused by dental problems, yes - your bite is the culprit, West Kelowna dentist Dr. Shauna Palmer is able to provide effective TMJ Treatment.

How does it work?

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a sliding hinge that connects each side of the jawbone to the skull. When these joints are under tension and stress, they can cause severe TMJ pain, tenderness, difficulty chewing, headaches, migraines, and difficulty opening and closing the mouth.

By realigning your bite and restoring the balance, relaxation of the affected muscles is possible. When the hyper-tensed muscles are in a relaxed position, the pain usually decreases.

Dr. Shauna Palmer believes that no one should have to live with a TMJ Disorder and provides TMJ Treatment with a physiological, holistic approach. Meaning: Keeping the whole body in mind because more parts of your body could be affected by a TMJ Disorder.

By now, we know that TMJ pain affects more women than men and most commonly affects those between the age of 20 and 60. Nevertheless, men can experience the same symptoms and effects.

While TMJ causes are not always obvious, the most common causes include:

• Misaligned jaws or bite
• Injuries
• Missing Teeth
• Arthritis
• Stress
• Teeth clenching or grinding
• Genetics

In most cases, multiple factors have an accumulative effect on the position of the teeth, causing an imbalance. The TMJ joints are trying by nature to restore that balance, therefore causing muscle strain and pain. A TMJ Disorder can even have a negative effect on your internal organs, posture, and even mental health. 

Since every TMJ case is different, there isn't 'one way' to treat a TMJ Disorder. The individual variables are so numerous that it really doesn't make sense to declare: "This is how you treat TMJ".

Dr. Shauna Palmer, West Kelowna dentist, providing TMJ Treatment:

"What we can provide is insight in some aspects of the TMJ Treatment process:

1. A thorough dental exam is performed including digital X-rays and digital 3D imaging to determine all the possible factors that play a role.
2. Extensive muscle tension tests are performed to measure where strain and pain is coming from.
3. Dental devices (physiologically designed daytime orthotic/night time sleep appliance) will be fabricated to re-balance the bite. A level 3 sleep screening is performed prior to fabrication of the devices in order to determine if there is any sleep disorder breathing such as obstructive sleep apnea. 
4. Jaw movements will be measured to define the effectiveness of the treatment in progress
5. Jaws can then be restored in the most physiologic position. A phase 2 treatment can involve a long term removable orthotic and sleep appliance, physiologically based orthodontics, physiologically based restorations (crowns, bridges, veneers, implants etc.), or a combination of physiologically based orthodontics and restorative work. 

Again, individual treatment approaches and results vary. Most importantly, TMJ Treatment requires a holistic / physiological approach. Since all parts of the body can be affected, a 360 vision needs to be applied to every TMJ Treatment process.