Baton Rouge Dentist

My sister’s mouth won’t open properly she complains that her jaws is stiff. What is it?

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My sister cannot open her mouth properly and had no problem with it this morning. She gets a pin prick feeling at the bottom of her jaw and sometimes when she opens it a bit wider she gets small headaches.

Thanks, Kyle

Dear Kyle,

It sounds like your sister is having temporomandibular joint dysfunction. This type of disorder can come and go or be constant. Stress, grinding and clenching of the teeth, gum chewing, or misaligned teeth are some of the factors that lead to this disorder. Headaches, earaches, and pain upon opening are common symptoms of this dysfunction of the joint. Our advice would be to put heat and ice packs on the joints to help alleviate the pain, take ibuprofen as needed, rest the jaw by keeping teeth slightly apart, and reduce stress. We recommend she consult with a dentist who offers TMJ treatment. If she is grinding or clenching a mouth appliance may be recommended to prevent her from having symptoms, reduce the pain, and prevent her from causing damage to her teeth.

Post courtesy of Dr. Perry, Baton Rouge Dentist.

TMJ Disorder—Serious Case

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I hope you can help me. I’ve been fooled too many times, and really just need some good information. I thought I would right in and ask you, since you have nothing to gain by lying to me like my dentist did.

I just turned 30, but I’ve had porcelain crowns on all my teeth for more than 10 years. I have a severe teeth grinding habit. Because the original crowns were not properly placed, I have worn those down, too, and now have a lot of pain and clicking when I chew or move my jaw. The last dentist I trusted (she retired) said that I have an upper and lower slant which makes my jaws crooked and a posterior crossbite. Beyond all of the more serious physical issues, they are ugly. That might sound silly, but I am only 3o! They look terrible, and it really impacts how I feel about myself.

I went to see a dentist who billed himself as a “neuromuscular dentist”. He had me in a device for two years. Things have shifted around, but nothing is better! Now I get headaches every single blessed day. I don’t know who to turn to next. Should I see a prosthodontist? A cosmetic dentist? I just know that I can find someone who can make my teeth function properly AND look good, but I need to know where to look. Can you help?

Thanks so much.

Ava in Topeka, KS

Dear Ava,

You actually were smart to work with a neuromuscular dentist. The problem might have been that the dentist you worked with SAID they were a neuromuscular dentist, but did not have the proper training to ethically make such a claim. As you may have discovered, neuromuscular dentistry is not a legally recognized specialty. Like cosmetic dentistry, any professional can claim to provide those services without any specialized training at all.

You need to look for a dentist in your area that specializes in TMJ treatment, and preferably one that also has cosmetic dentistry training, too. Look for a dentist that has received training at an institute like the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies, which is one of the leading facilities for training dentists in treating TMJ disorders. A dentist that has had the kind of training you are looking for won’t be shy about displaying those credentials.

This post brought to you courtesy of Baton Rouge dentist Dr. Perry.