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Find relief from TMJ disorder, jaw pain, and headaches at biological dentistry in Glen Allen, VA

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder is a commonly misunderstood condition that can have several negative health effects that severely impact your quality of life. At Virginia Biological Dentistry, Dr. Olivia Hart understands the jaw pain, headaches, and other symptoms that TMJ disorder can cause and provides several treatment options for Glen Allen, VA area patients to help them get relief.

TMJ causes

The TMJs are joints on each side of your jaw that act like hinges to open and close your mouth. In TMU disorder, these joints become misaligned, damaged, or inflamed, causing several negative symptoms. It can be difficult to determine exactly what is causing TMJ disorder without a comprehensive evaluation by a dentist like Dr. Hart who understands the condition, but some common causes of TMJ disorder might include:

  • Genetics
  • Arthritis
  • Injury to your jaw
  • Bruxism (clenching and grinding your teeth)
  • Connective tissue disorders
  • A combination of these factors

Find relief with TMJ treatments

The first step to getting relief from TMJ is to have your jaw and mouth evaluated by a dentist. Dr. Hart may use several procedures, from visually examining your mouth to 3D imaging, to comprehensively assess the state of your joints and determine what is causing your symptoms.

If you have TMJ disorder, the great news is that jaw pain relief and effective facial pain and headache treatment are within your reach at Virginia Biological Dentistry. While traditional methods for treating TMJ disorder may include a “wait and see” approach or the use of medications to simply mask the pain, Dr. Hart treats the underlying condition to restore your TMJs back to health. This may include one or more of several biological therapies such as:

  • Gentle exercises to help increase your jaw’s mobility and promote healing
  • Relaxation and mindfulness techniques to reduce stress and help you deal with the TMJ pain
  • Oral appliances such as nightguards and day guards that you wear during your sleep or during the day
  • Counseling on habits that may be aggravating the TMJs, such as grinding your teeth, biting pencils or fingernails, or leaning repetitively on your chin
  • Laser treatment to reduce the pain 

If you have one or more of the symptoms of TMJ disorder, you don’t need to suffer any longer. Call Virginia Biological Dentistry at (804) 381-6238 or email us at info@virginiabiologicaldentistry.com today to schedule a comprehensive evaluation with Dr. Olivia Hart.