Are you among the 10 million plus Americans that are being affected with TMJ? Do you live in Orlando and need to see a TMJ specialist? If you are not sure then you should ask yourself the following questions:
- Do you feel pain in your lower and/or upper jaw?
- Do you get headaches that are usually accompanied by facial pain?
- Do your ears ring?
- Do you hear a popping or clicking sound when you are opening or closing your mouth?
If you answered yes to any of the questions above then you may well have a problem.
TMJ (temporomandibular joint dysfunction), and it’s a medical condition where the hinge joint that connects your skull with your jaw becomes irritated, dislodged, painful, or locked. These are the typical symptoms of TMJ dysfunction, and if you think you may be suffering from this disorder in Orlando, then you need to find a TMJ specialist as soon as possible to get yourself treated.
Here are some things you can do to find effective treatment:
- Keep a record of all your issues and symptoms so that you’ll have relevant info to discuss with your healthcare provider. Make a note where and when the pain occurs, what causes it (what you were doing at the time), and what makes it feel much better. At the same time, you should try to learn more about, its causes, the condition, its symptoms, and its treatment.
- Take the information you found, along with your record of symptoms, to your doctor or TMJ dentist, who will examine you and make a proper diagnosis. Majority of primary care physicians in Orlando are not TMJ specialists, your primary care doctor will, if the situation warrants it, will recommend you to someone who is a specializes in treating this disorder. That someone more than likely will be your dentist, who will more than likely be able to assist finding the reason behind the symptoms you are experiencing or refer you to a specialist. The dentist will give you a thorough jaw and mouth exam and will review your symptoms history. The dentist may do diagnostic tests, such as CT scans X-rays to examine both the soft tissues and the teeth. If the dentist determines that the cause of your problems is temporomandibular joint dysfunction, one of the first things they may try is to custom make an oral appliance to prevent or reduce teeth clenching and grinding. If that isn’t helpful, then your dentist may refer you to go and see an orthodontist or maxillofacial surgeon or other TMJ specialist to help.
- Now that you’ve visited your dentist and have gotten an official diagnosis of temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ), then it’s time to go and get a second opinion, and maybe even a third. This is crucial! Not every case is the same, and not all patients will have the same type and severity of temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ). You want to find a TMJ specialist in Orlando who will treat you correctly, and the safest way to do this is by asking others their opinion based on what you have discovered. If you are feeling uneasy about the treatment option that I being offered, be sure to ask why they are recommending it for you. Do not blindly accept a treatment plan without having a complete understanding of all the implications of what that treatment means.
- Once you’ve settled on a potential treatment, we suggest that you pause for a moment and ask your health insurance provider if they will cover the cost. Please note that not all health insurance companies will cover TMJ treatment, so it is always a very good idea to contact the insurance company to check ahead. If the insurance company will not cover the cost, then find out how much the treatment would cost, and then decide if that’s an acceptable amount for you.
- It is also important that as you go through your TMJ issues, that you find good support. It is always better to have someone who is informed of what you’re going or about to go through. There are TMJ support groups around Orlando and online, and you should really consider about reaching out to one of them. By reaching out to them you may get a lead on a good doctor, make some new friends that can relate to what you are going through, plus you will also get good sound advice and suggestions on how other patients are coping with TMJ
Seek out a TMJ specialist Orlando FL that has your best interest in mind, as well as the best treatment program possible. Afterall it is your body, so take very good care of it.