If you wake up in the morning with your jaws aching, you may be suffering from temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction.  You will find this joint at the point where your jaw meets the rest of your face. 

TMJ sufferers, as many as 80% of whom are women, report such symptoms as: migraine-level headaches, loss of hearing, blurred vision, depression, backaches, and sometimes excruciating facial pain.  It is sometimes referred to as “crooked jaws” or TMD, and can best be described as joint stress resulting from an uneven bite.  There are numerous causes of this painful condition.  They include blows to the head or face, structural deformities, teeth grinding, and mental stress.  TMJ can strike individuals of all ages, from children to the elderly.  It tends to start as a soft-tissue injury.  If untreated, it may worsen over time, affecting additional bodily systems and organs.

In the beginning stages, the pain from TMJ may be intermittent.  But as with most conditions, early detection and treatment is the key.  One thing we may recommend for you is a special night guard.  The FDA approved NTI-tss device is designed to protect your teeth from further wear by reducing the severity of grinding at night.

This also allows the muscles to rest.  In more severe cases, it may be necessary to wear the device during the day as well.  The NTI-tss device is much more comfortable than a traditional night guard, attaching to your front two teeth only, preventing the back teeth from touching at all.

Watch for these symptoms:

* Pain in or around the ear and temple area, sometimes spreading to the face.

* Notice headache pain upon wakening.

* Tenderness of the jaw muscles.

* Clicking or popping noise when you open or close your mouth.

* Buzzing, ringing or roaring sound in your ears.

* Jaws that “get stuck,” “lock,” or “go out.”

* Difficulty moving your jaw side to side or front to back.

* Clenching or grinding your teeth.

* Pain brought on by yawning, chewing or opening the mouth widely.

* Problems chewing food.