Temporomandibular joint dysfunction can be a real pain in the jaw, head and even neck. But add in radiating pain and it can often become too much to bear. This is precisely why many people seek outside relief, from painkillers to physical therapy and neuromuscular orthodontics. But what if you could be inadvertently worsening your temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain without even realizing it? There are some everyday behaviors many of us do without even realizing they could be harming our bodies. Here are a few surprise triggers for your TMJ dysfunction. Chewing Gum While chewing sugarless gum can actually help neutralize plaque acid and protect the teeth from cavities, it can have a dark side if you have temporomandibular joint dysfunction. That’s because excessive chewing can put strain on the jaw, causing more pain and inflammation. Despite its benefits, if you have TMJ dysfunction, cut back on the chewing gum, even if you aren’t experiencing severe TMJ dysfunction symptoms. Tech Neck What on earth is tech neck? It’s the term coined for the neck and back posturing many people are developing due to constant phone and tablet use. It seems when we frequently look down, we are putting strain on the neck, spine and back as well as the temporomandibular joint! Worse yet, if you are experiencing tech neck (also known as text neck), you could be raising your cortisol levels due to the stress of the pain, and causing more inflammation in the discs and the temporomandibular joint. Bruxism Bruxism, or grinding your teeth, can be a surprising cause of temporomandibular joint pain because many people who have bruxism don’t realize they are doing it. This means they could be worsening their pain unconsciously. Bruxism is especially common during the night while asleep and during high-stress situations, such as when you experience pain (such as tech neck) or when you are doing everyday tasks like working or sitting in traffic. In addition to straining the temporomandibular joint, bruxism can also damage your teeth, causing fractures, chips and uneven wear. Jaw Clenching Somewhat related to bruxism is jaw clenching. Jaw clenching may not make tooth-to-tooth contact, but it still puts undue strain on the temporomandibular joint. If you find yourself clenching your jaw or grinding your teeth, it may be time for a mouth guard. Contact Dr. George’s office for a consultation by calling 724-220-2347.

Picture this: You’re finally getting treatment for your TMJ disorder. You’ve been prescribed neuromuscular orthodontic treatment, but Dr. George has prescribed you not one but two different mouth guards - one to wear during the day, and one to wear at night. Why do you need two different mouth guards? You have the same mouth no matter what time of day it is, right? So what’s the big difference between day and night guards, anyway? Day Guards Day mouth guards are designed to discreetly fit over the teeth without being obvious. With a day guard you can still speak and carry on normal activities while preventing things like bruxism (teeth grinding) and positioning your jaw into place. Day guards also help prevent you from using your teeth for other bad habits like nail biting, because they must be removed to chew anything. Night Guards Night guards are equally as functional as day guards, but with less concern about being discreet. Night guards address a variety of issues such as bruxism, sleep apnea and aligning of the jaw to its optimal position. With time, neuromuscular orthodontics, including your night guard, can adjust the jaw positioning so that you may not need to wear a night guard that is bulky – or you may not need to wear a night guard at all. Do I Really Need Two Mouth Guards? Just as not everyone’s TMJ disorder is the same, not everyone will require the same TMJ disorder treatment. This includes the use of day and/or night guards. You may not want to wear two different night guards around the clock, but for best results, and for the sake of your teeth, if Dr. George prescribes two mouth guards for your treatment, trust her expertise and wear your day and night guards as prescribed. Want to learn more about mouth guards to treat TMJ disorder? Call Dr. George's office at 724-220-2347.

Having crooked teeth can make even the most confident person insecure about his or her smile. In fact, a recent study found that 81 percent of American adults are insecure about their smile - and about 28 percent of them won’t even smile in pictures! But poor self-esteem isn’t the only problem caused by crooked teeth. Believe it or not, having a bad bite can contribute to many other ailments you may have never considered.

A recent article in an Irish newspaper is causing quite a stir here in the United States for claiming that a new form of ear insert can alleviate some of the symptoms of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder. The catch: It’s from right here in America, and most people here have never heard of it. It’s a custom-fit device called Cerezen, and it sits just inside the ear canal like a hearing aid might. But instead of helping you hear, Cerezen claims to help stop bruxism (also known as teeth grinding) and alleviate pain-causing pressure on the muscles and joints affected by TMJ disorder.

One common misconception patients have when they get a cavity filled is that their filling will last a lifetime. While it would be nice if that were true, the resin composite material used in most fillings lasts about 20 years, give or take a few. But sometimes fillings break down much sooner than anticipated, with some lasting as few as five years. So, what’s going on with those fillings? Are they made of inferior materials? Were they placed incorrectly? Or maybe there’s something else going on that could be causing them to wear out early. Here are some common reasons fillings break down sooner than expected.

If you’ve ever been told you have a "bad bite," chances are you can see for yourself that your teeth are out of alignment. From a strictly cosmetic standpoint, a bad bite doesn’t usually look so great, and most people who have bad bites have probably considered correcting them with braces or other orthodontics. But a bad bite can be far more serious than simply having crooked teeth. A bad bite can not only cause uneven wear on the teeth, but it can also cause damage to the teeth, jaw soreness, bruxism (or teeth grinding) and even temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ disorder).

Temporomandibular joint disorder (or TMD) affects approximately 10 million Americans, but treating the disorder can often be a challenge. That’s because many people don’t even realize they have TMD in the first place. Temporomandibular joint disorder occurs in the jaw and affects the TMJ, jaw bones and many of the connective muscles. Symptoms of TMD can include headaches, jaw pain, jaw clicking, teeth grinding, neck pain, difficulty chewing, difficulty speaking and difficulty opening and closing the mouth. But many TMD sufferers never realize they have the condition, because the symptoms come and go, and some, like teeth grinding and jaw clicking, can happen without you even realizing it.

With the average dental implant costing upwards of $4,500, it makes sense that you’d want to protect your investment. But between implant failure and the rare instance of implant fracture, it can be difficult to do so. That’s why it helps to know exactly what risks are involved in keeping your dental implants safe from damage.

According to Stopbullying.gov, an initiative by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, between one in three and one in four American children have experienced some sort of bullying, and over 70 percent have witnessed it among their peers. Bullying can often cause children to become quiet and withdrawn, isolating themselves from their parents and peers. So, how do you know as parents if your child is being bullied – especially if they won’t tell you? According to a new study in the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, you might want to ask their dentist.  The study, conducted by the Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics at Universidade Federal de Minas Gerias in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, revealed that teenagers who experienced verbally abusive bullying at school were four times more likely to experience bruxism, or teeth grinding, than those who were not bullied. According to the study, bullied students were found to grind their teeth at a rate of about 65 percent, compared to about 17 percent for students who are not bullied.