Our top priority is to provide the highest quality orthodontic care in a friendly, comfortable environment. We have 5 offices in the San Francisco area. Click on Locations & Services to find out more!
If your teeth and jaw are hurting, orthodontic treatment may be the way to go. Check out these links to learn more about caring for your teeth, TMJ disorder, and other oral care information.
Braces, wires, and rubber bands can collect food and plaque. Learn more about caring for your braces from WebMD.
TMJ disorder is most often caused by a bad bite. Learn what else may cause TMJ disorder on mayoclinic.com.
Comfort matters when straightening your teeth. Learn how Invisalign offers great comfort and convenience.
Do braces hurt? Oralanswers.com explores the answer by dividing braces into four stages, from the time they are put on to the time of removal.
Image Orthodontics wants to thank some of the most important people in our lives...parents!
From now through the end of June; you will be entered into a drawing for a $100 Visa gift card by posting a picture of your parents & or writing a short post about what makes your parents so great.
We look forward to your great pictures and stories. :)
The temporomandibular joint is where the upper jaw and lower jaw meet. TMJ disorder is a cycle of pain that occurs when the teeth, chewing muscles, and jaw joints don’t work together properly. Some of the common symptoms include ear pain, headache, and dizziness.
In this video, the most common symptoms of TMJ are listed. Among these symptoms are worn teeth, headaches, and painful muscles. The video also touches upon the common causes of TMJ, including the most common cause: a bad bite. Lastly, treatment options for TMJ are described. Among these treatment options is the use of a custom made orthotic, as described in the video.
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms listed and think you may suffer from TMJ, the certified specialists at Image Orthodontics can help. Call us at (415) 683-7713 or visit one of our five San Francisco locations to learn more.
"I am just finishing up my Invisalign and I am so happy with how it came out. It was worth the time and money. Now I know for my big wedding day I can smile big and confident. I highly recommend dr. Lee she was great at explained everything to me. Thank you Image."
Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ) is a cycle of pain that occurs when the teeth, chewing muscles, and jaw joints don’t work together precisely. The temporomandibular joint is the joint on either side of your head in front of your ears where the upper jaw and lower jaw meet. This joint allows you to talk, chew, and yawn—if not functioning properly can cause severe pain and discomfort. Here are some of the causes, symptoms, and orthodontic treatment options of TMJ disorders.
Causes
TMJ disorders may be caused by a variety of factors, such as grinding teeth, injury, or emotional stress. However, most often it is caused by a bad bite. If you have missing teeth, or your teeth are out of alignment or worn, your jaw may shift position. This causes the jaw to work harder than it should to come together, which in turn creates muscle tension, fatigue, spasming, and pain.
Symptoms
The most common symptoms of TMJ are pain or tenderness of the jaw, and aching pain in the face and ear. Patients that suffer from TMJ may experience frequent headaches, worn teeth, painful muscles, earaches, dizziness, and ringing of the ear. A locking of the jaw may occur, which makes it difficult to open or close your mouth.
Treatment
In some cases, TMJ does not require treatment and the symptoms will simply go away. If symptoms persist, your orthodontist will likely analyze your bite and have you wear a custom bite guard to relax muscles and stabilize your bite. Bite guards prevent your teeth from meshing together, and are particularly important to use while you sleep. In rare cases, surgery may be required. Also, if your symptoms worsen due to poorly managed stress and anxiety, you may benefit from seeking remedies for the stress itself.
If you think you may be suffering from TMJ, our certified specialists may be able to help. Contact Image Orthodontics, visit one of our five San Francisco locations, or call us at (415) 683-7713 to learn more about our treatment options and services.
