TMJ Treatment – San Antonio, TX

What Is TMJ Disorder?

TMJ disorder is a condition that affects individuals of all ages but especially those who struggle with stress, teeth grinding (bruxism), and a misaligned bite. When inflammation or trauma impacts the jaw joints that rest at the base of your skull, it can cause immense pain that makes it hard to open and close your mouth, eat, or even speak.

No matter the reason for the inflamed or damaged areas, finding a solution to help these joints move appropriately and seamlessly is essential if better oral and overall health are to be achieved.

Dental Appliance Treatment Options for TMD/Orofacial Pain

Dr. Lee and Dr. Hachem regularly treat patients suffering from TMJ disorder (TMD). A dental appliance is often the best solution for patients with moderate to severe TMD. Advantages of dental appliance therapy include:

• No invasive surgery
• No injections
• No side effects from medications
• Long-term relief
• Improvement of range of motion and comfort

Keep in mind that any approach to treating TMJ disorder is more effective when combined with proper at-home care, including resting and avoiding excessive use of the jaw. We offer the following appliance options:

Nightguard / Dental Splint

A dental splint or nightguard is crafted from hard material. It realigns your jaw while sleeping, reducing stress on the temporomandibular joint. To be effective and allow comfortable breathing, a splint must be custom-fitted to your mouth by Dr. Lee.

Anterior Positioning Device (a.k.a. Muscle Deprogrammer)

The anterior positioning device is a type of mouth splint designed to realign the jaw. It moves the lower jaw forward or backward to move the temporomandibular joint into the proper position. Once the jaw is properly aligned, the symptoms associated with TMD are reduced or eliminated.

Orthotic Stabilization Device

A stabilization device fits snugly over the upper or lower teeth. The biting surface is tailored to control the bite position of the opposing teeth and jawbone to minimize the effects of teeth grinding or clenching, reducing pain and inflammation while allowing the jaw muscles to heal.

What If I Need More Advanced Treatment for TMJ Disorder?

If the solutions we provide in-office are not enough to adequately treat your TMJ disorder, you can trust that we will get you the help that you need. In essence, we will serve as the “quarterback” for patient referrals. This means that we will take care of contacting the specialist’s office, figuring out if they accept your insurance, and scheduling an appointment for you. Dr. Lee will even travel to the other office with you so that he can make sure that you get the attention and treatment you need to achieve relief from the pain.