TMJ Specialist Near You in McLean, VA
Are you currently experiencing jaw pain, difficulty chewing, or headaches? TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorders can also cause a clicking sound or grating sensation when you open your mouth or chew. Millions of patients suffer from chronic facial and neck pain, as well as recurring headaches, often due to temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMJ/TMD. In some cases, this pain is associated with muscle tension, joint inflammation, or bite misalignment.
A board-certified qualified dentist or licensed TMJ specialist may perform a comprehensive TMJ exam detailed diagnosis to assess the underlying cause of symptoms. Common signs can include misaligned teeth, difficulty opening the mouth, or painful chewing motions. Non-invasive treatments may include oral splints, physical therapy therapies, or bite adjustments to relieve discomfort and promote proper jaw alignment. In many cases, trusted dental clinics recommend conservative approaches before suggesting invasive procedures, including options like invisalign near you when alignment is a contributing factor.
If symptoms persist, your provider may also refer you to an orofacial pain specialist expert, oral surgeon, or physiotherapist for further care. A thorough consultation often includes reviewing your medical history, taking x-rays or digital imaging, and conducting a physical examination of your jaw and muscles.
Many specialists emphasize customized care plans, with a focus on accurate diagnosis, effective relief, and long-term management. Patients often consult their insurance provider to learn whether TMJ therapy is covered, and many practices accept insurance and offer flexible financing options. At the core of treatment is a commitment to patient-centered care, led by highly experienced and qualified skilled dental professionals.
What Is TMJ Disorder?
TMJ stands for temporomandibular joints. TMD stands for temporomandibular disorder. Your temporomandibular joints (TMJ) connect your lower jawbone to your skull. These joints get a lot of use throughout the day as you speak, chew, swallow, and yawn. Pain in and around these joints can be unpleasant and may even restrict movement, causing chronic jaw pain or acute TMJ flare-ups.
If you or a family member are currently experiencing any of the symptoms of TMJ disorder, we encourage you to see our jaw expert pain specialists at McLean Healthy Smiles.
Call us today or contact us online to schedule a consultation or free consultation, during which we will discuss your options, review payment or insurance options, including payment plans and CareCredit financing, answer all of your questions, and see if you’re a good candidate for TMJ treatment at McLean Healthy Smiles.
Whether you are dealing with gaps in your smile, malocclusion, or crooked teeth, we will help you determine what’s best for your smile.
Call us now at (703) 356-5330 or send us a message. We offer same-day appointments and welcome new patients.
Symptoms of TMJ Disorder
Our teeth affect our entire body. Many people don’t realize this, but headaches, neck pain and facial pain are often the results of poor dental hygiene. If you don’t take care of your teeth, this can lead to problems later in life.
One of those health issues is TMJ and TMJ related disorders (TMD). These are unpleasant and painful and can decrease your quality of life. Treating TMJ and TMJ issues and TMD pain in McLean is as easy as making a dentist appointment. McLean Healthy Smiles specializes in treatment for TMJ and TMD issues and has all the information you need to start the recovery process with personalized treatment plans.
Common TMJ disorder symptoms include:
- Pain in the jaw area or chronic jaw pain
- Pain, ringing (tinnitus), or stuffiness in the ears
- Frequent headaches or neck aches, including TMJ migraines
- Clicking or popping sound (crepitus) when the jaw moves
- Swelling on the sides of the face or facial swelling
- Muscle spasms in the jaw area or myofascial pain
- A change in the alignment of top and bottom teeth
- Locked jaw (trismus) or limited opening of the mouth with restricted range of motion
Should you notice any of these symptoms, let your doctor know. We can help identify and confirm indicate the presence of TMJ and create an effective personalized treatment plan just for you.
What Causes TMJ Disorder?
It can be challenging to pinpoint the exact reason behind someone’s TMJ disorder. The pain you experience may be a result of various factors, including genetic predisposition genetics, arthritis such as osteoarthritis TMJ or rheumatoid arthritis, or a jaw injury from trauma-induced TMJ or whiplash TMJ. Some individuals who have jaw pain also have a tendency to clench or grind their teeth (known as bruxism, including sleep bruxism and awake bruxism). However, it’s important to note that many people habitually clench or grind their teeth without ever developing TMJ disorders.
TMJ is a complex system that works with the masticatory muscles as well as teeth. The occlusion/bite relationship of your upper teeth plays a huge role and can contribute significantly to the health of the area. If teeth are out of place, it can adversely affect your TMJ, leading to disc displacement or joint degeneration.
TMJ Disorder Treatment Options
There is no widely accepted safe or effective treatment for TMD at the moment, but there is a building body of research to indicate how laser dentistry in McLean can effectively reduce pain and inflammation in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) through low-level laser therapy or cold laser therapy. If you do have TMD, make sure that any treatments that are attempted are non-permanent and reversible treatment options, as permanent surgeries could cause long-term disability. If the pain is an issue, you can use over-the-counter NSAIDS such as ibuprofen or anti-inflammatory medication to manage the pain, and if it gets to be too much you can request stronger pain medication or muscle relaxants medication from your healthcare provider.
Stabilization splints may be recommended but they should only be used for short lengths of time to avoid permanent changes in your bite. Surgery is usually considered a last resort or final option when other less invasive methods have not been successful in treating your jaw pain or TMD. However, certain individuals with TMJ disorders might find surgical treatments beneficial.
TMJ Disorder Diagnosis
There is no current TMD standard test, so healthcare providers will take note of all symptoms, including dental and medical history, or do imaging studies such as digital x-rays, 3D imaging, CBCT scans, or MRI TMJ to determine whether or not you could have TMD. Often ruling out other symptoms will help narrow the diagnosis down to TMD through differential diagnosis.
Are You Suffering from the Possible Signs of TMD?
If you are dealing with jaw pain and headaches or other symptoms of TMD, book an appointment with McLean Healthy Smiles today to get checked out with a comprehensive TMJ evaluation and TMJ screening.
How to Prevent TMJ Disorder or Keep It From Worsening
There are a few simple steps you can take at home or work to prevent TMJ from becoming more severe or to help prevent it from getting worse:
- Relax your face — remember the rule: “Lips together, teeth apart”
- Avoid grinding your teeth or teeth clenching through stress management and relaxation techniques
- Avoid constant gum-chewing and other parafunctional habits
- Don’t cradle the phone receiver between your head and shoulder — either use a headset or hold the receiver in your hand to maintain proper ergonomic adjustments
- Chew food evenly on both sides of your mouth
- Do not sit with your chin resting on your hand
- Practice good posture with postural correction — keep your head up, back straight, and shoulders squared
Making these changes can reduce the symptoms or eliminate them entirely. However, if you are still uncomfortable or in pain, it is time to see a trusted medical professional for treatment. These symptoms can inhibit your quality of life and lead to larger problems in the future.
We encourage you to talk with our dedicated local TMJ specialist Dr. Vidya Colospate here at McLean Healthy Smiles for more information on treatment specific to your particular situation. Dr. Colospate has years of experience and advanced training with TMJ and TMJ-related disorders, she can help treat TMJ and TMD in McLean and get you an effective tailored treatment plan.
There is significant interrelationship between TMJ and the muscles of mastication and the teeth. Dr. Colospate evaluates all these three components: TMJ evaluation, muscle palpation and occlusal analysis (bite), and then recommends treatment using a multidisciplinary approach to help alleviate symptoms to provide immediate relief and also any treatment for the long-term to help prevent recurrence through maintenance therapy.
Taking the time for self-care and being aware of things like posture and jaw clenching will help prevent further damage from TMD. If you’re experiencing severe pain or discomfort, don’t hesitate to reach out to an emergency dentist who can provide immediate care and urgent care and guidance for emergency TMJ treatment.
Self-Treatment for TMJ Issues and TMD Pain in McLean, VA
Self-care is important for your health and well-being. Practice self-care routines to decrease symptoms, in many situations, the pain and discomfort caused by TMJ disorders are temporary and can be eased through self-care or nonsurgical treatments and non-surgical treatment options. There are many things you can do at home to reduce the effects of TMD, such as: eating soft food or following a soft diet, using ice packs for cold therapy or applying moist heat for heat therapy, minimize extreme jaw movements to protect the joint and promote jaw rest, relaxation techniques such as meditation, breathing exercises, or progressive muscle relaxation, and jaw exercises including stretching exercises, strengthening exercises, and range of motion exercises.
Be sure to chew on both sides of your mouth so symptoms don’t worsen on one side. If you need stronger pain relief, over-the-counter and prescription drugs are available. However, sometimes it is necessary to seek the help of a medical professional.
Sometimes simple jaw exercises and warm/cold compressors are recommended by Dr. Colospate. However, she may recommend appliance therapy such as custom splints, orthotic appliances, or repositioning splints when needed for long-term benefits.
If you find yourself a victim of bad habits, make a plan for change. Also, make an appointment with a medical professional. Professional treatment for TMJ and TMD in McLean is available with convenient scheduling and flexible appointment options.
Four Mistakes to Avoid in Managing TMJ and TMD Pain
Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) has several symptoms that you may be unaware of such as headaches, neck pain, and problems with chewing and swallowing. There is often swelling in the face and joint area with joint inflammation. When dealing with this problem, many people make mistakes that increase the symptoms instead of decreasing them.
There are a lot of things that will make your symptoms worse if you continue to do them.
- Clenching Jaw or Grinding Teeth. Clenching your jaw or grinding your teeth can not only worsen the symptoms of TMD, but they can also cause other health problems such as headaches and neck pain. Some people do these things without realizing it, especially when concentrating hard. Try to relax your jaw and face when focused using biofeedback training or stress reduction therapy.
- Non-Functional Jaw Activities. These are activities that don’t promote healthy habits and can irritate the joints. Chewing gum, biting nails, chewing a pen lid, or on clothing are a few examples of oral habits and parafunctional habits that should be avoided.
- Resting Your Head on Your Chin. Resting your chin in your hand or on hard surfaces puts pressure on your jaw. This will irritate your joints and cause pain and other dental health problems. Proper workplace modifications can help prevent this.
- Poor Posture. Teeth and neck pain can be caused by poor posture. Things like slouching, and looking down at your phone or book can cause strain on your neck and jaw. Try to avoid bending your neck downward or slouching in your seat. Ergonomic counseling and postural training can improve these habits.
If you find yourself doing these things, it is likely your symptoms will get worse. Work on changing your habits and develop new self-care routines to decrease discomfort through lifestyle modifications and behavioral change.
Get TMJ Disorder Treatment Near You
Stop searching Google for “tmj treatment near me” or “tmj specialist in McLean.”
You’ve come to the right place. If you have any questions about our treatment process for TMJ disorder here at McLean Healthy Smiles, we encourage you to learn more by speaking with our highly regarded top-rated and experienced TMJ specialist located near you at our convenient location.
To schedule a consultation, please contact our office. We offer online scheduling for your convenience. During this appointment, we will discuss your options, go over payment and insurance choices, verify insurance benefits, and provide cost estimates, including dental insurance near you, address all of your questions, and determine if you’re a suitable candidate.
Whether you need an oral appliance such as a night guard or mouth guard, physical therapy with manual therapy and massage therapy, or more advanced treatments including Botox TMJ, trigger point injections, or TENS therapy, we are here to end your discomfort and assist you in every way possible with compassionate care and gentle treatment.
Call us now at (703) 356-5330 or send us a message. We accept insurance and offer financing plans with CareCredit financing and interest-free financing options.
Areas Served:
We offer TMJ/TMD treatment in the following cities in Virginia.
Cities:
McLean, Great Falls, Falls Church, Arlington, Vienna
