If you have a TMJ disorder, you may experience pain and discomfort when opening your mouth, chewing or upon awakening.

Other TMD symptoms may include:

1. Clicking or popping noises 
2. Earaches 
3. Pain in the temple area
4. Muscle spasms around the head and neck 
5. Limited jaw opening 
6. Jaw locking/catching
7. Headaches
8. Difficulty chewing, speaking, or yawning 
9. Pain in the neck, back, or head
10. Changes in bite
11. Dental pain of unknown origin

Teeth grinding/clenching (bruxism)

Signs and symptoms of bruxism vary, and may also include:

• Worn teeth
• Wear facets (flat smooth areas created on the biting surfaces of the teeth as they are rubbed together repeatedly)
• Facial pain
• Tense facial and jaw muscles
• Chipped or cracked teeth
• Broken restorations 
• Sensitive teeth
• Headaches
• Tongue indentations
• Damage to the inside of the cheek

What can be done?

The first step is identifying the underlying cause of bruxism. It can be controlled with Oral Appliance Therapy (custom TMJ mouthguards), Botox, behavioral modification, stress or anxiety management and biofeedback, among other treatments. 

There are different types of nerve pain conditions which can present with a variety of symptoms.

Neuropathic (nerve) pain conditions include:

• Trigeminal neuralgia
  • Severe and excruciating electric shock-like pain in one of the distributions of the trigeminal nerve.
  • Triggered by touching the face or spontaneous pain. 
    
    
• Post-Traumatic Trigeminal Neuropathies
  • Nerve pain following a traumatic injury to a branch of the trigeminal or lingual nerve; for example, after dental implants, oral surgery, wisdom teeth removal, oral biopsies, or trauma to the face. 
    
    
• Persistent Idiopathic Facial Pain
  • Nerve pain that is not associated with any clear pathophysiology and its causes are unknown. 
    
    
• Burning Mouth Syndrome
  • Burning and/or tingling pain in the tongue, palate, or lips in the absence of clinical and laboratory findings.
    
    
• Other Neuralgias
  • Glossopharyngeal neuralgia.
  • Nervusintermedius neuralgia.
  • Superior laryngeal neuralgia.
  • Occipital neuralgia.
  • Post-herpetic trigeminal neuropathy.

What can be done?

Each neuropathic pain condition is treated differently with a variety of treatment modalities (medications, Botox, topical ointments, among others). A detailed interview and a thorough clinical examination is essential to yield to an accurate diagnosis and a successful TMJ treatment Houston TX. 

Some headaches can be caused by a TMJ disorder and can be effectively treated by controlling the primary cause. At Houston TMJ, Facial Pain and Sleep, we can help find out the source of your headaches. 

We also treat other types of headaches, including: 

• Migraine
• Tension-type headache
• Trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias

Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition that causes you to stop breathing while you’re sleeping. Untreated, this condition can lead to serious health complications, including heart damage and heart failure, arrhythmias, daytime drowsiness and motor vehicle accidents and sudden cardiac death, among others. 

Symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea include: 

• Snoring
  • Choking/gasping for air while sleeping 
  • Fatigue & daytime sleepiness
  • Insomnia
  • Poor sleep quality
  • Sleep fragmentation
  • Nocturia (nocturnal urination)
  • Sleep bruxism
  • Neurocognitive deficits
  • Mood disorders
  • Morning headache

What can be done?

• A custom oral appliance can be fabricated for the management of obstructive sleep apnea. Many patients prefer these appliances instead of CPAP due to being more comfortable and easy to carry. 
• Multiple studies show that they have comparable level of therapeutic effectiveness to PAP. In some cases both therapies can be combined. 
• It is also a good option for frequent travelers that use PAP.