Do you wake up with a headache and aching jaw? Do you have a bite that feels uncomfortable or uneven?
You may be dealing with TMJ disorder, a common disease afflicting millions of Americans. A Dawson-trained dentist in Tuckahoe, Dr. Brad Gorsky, has advanced training in the diagnosis and treatment of bite problems and can work with you to identify the underlying cause of a TMJ disorder. A comprehensive approach to your TMJ disorder is the foundation for a stable result that supports improved oral health.
What is TMJ?
TMJ is the commonly used term for a temporomandibular disorder or TMD. Patients with a TMD or TMJ disorder are experiencing dysfunction in the temporomandibular joints, which connect the jaw and the skull. When there are problems or an imbalance in the jaw joints, common symptoms can include jaw pain, difficulty chewing comfortably, frequent headaches, and discomfort in and around the head and neck areas.
What Causes TMJ Disorder?
TMJ often stems from a bad bite or a lack of harmony in how your teeth come together. It can be a result of chronic stress, clenching, an accident or other trauma, or even poorly balanced dental work.
What Can We Do to Help?
Dr. Gorsky uses the principles of Centric Relation to help relax your jaw muscles and move your bite back into its ideal position.
This process starts with a specially made bite appliance to relax your muscles and create an artificial perfect bite. Once your bite has relaxed into the proper position, we will use equilibration to keep it that way. Bite equilibration is a delicate procedure that requires extreme skill and a trained hand. To equilibrate your bite, Dr. Gorsky will carefully smooth and buff the biting surfaces of your teeth to equalize stress and harmonize the way your teeth meet and relate to each other by removing any unevenness or irritant.
After equilibration, we restore and replace teeth that need care and take impressions for your own custom-made occlusal (bite) guard. This occlusal guard balances your bite and protects your teeth from further damage.