TMJ/TMD TREATMENT IN HONOLULU

Pain when chewing? Call our office if you have jaw pain

TMJ disorder is a condition that causes pain in your jaw joint and muscles that allow the jaw to move. The joint connects our lower jaws to the skull in front of our ears. The joint has two motions, a rotation and a hinge action that allows us to open and close our mouths and glide our jaws. These motions allow us to chew, talk, and yawn properly. What happens when there is inflammation around the joint? You can experience a painful condition that affects both the health and function of the jaw joint.

Common causes of TMJ are trauma to the jaw and teeth, misalignment of teeth, chronic grinding, stress, chronic gum chewing and poor posture. These types of problems put significant pressure on the temporomandibular joint. If you have any symptoms of jaw pain, jaw clicking and popping, stiff jaw muscles or a locking jaw, call our office today for an evaluation! Luckily, Dr. Sugiki is well trained to help patients manage your care!

Treatment of TMJ/TMD with Dr. Sugiki

Fortunately, most people can manage their jaw pain with home remedies, over-the-counter pain medication, and self-care which gives TMJ a good prognosis. For those with early symptoms, earlier diagnosis will improve the prognosis. Dr. Sugiki will evaluate your symptoms and possibly take additional images for a more detailed diagnosis. In many cases, TMJ disorder can be monitored without treatment if it is asymptomatic or not causing any problems. If symptomatic, non-surgical treatments are the first line of treatment, including medications, night guards or splints, and physical therapy.