What Is TMD?

The temporomandibular joint is a hinge that connects your jaw bone (mandible) to the temporal bones in your skull, in front of each ear.  A general term for any problem or issue with this joint is temporomandibular disorder, or TMD. Bear Creek Dental can help patients prevent and recover from negative effects of TMD.

Patients that grind or clench their teeth often end up with a sore jaw.  Other patients experience injuries with facial trauma that cause jaw pain, or result in the patient feeling their jaw gets stuck or ‘locks’ in either an open or closed position.  A custom night guard keeps the jaw in a neutral position during sleep, and this helps many patients find relief from TMD symptoms.  For any pain, your dentist may recommend an over-the-counter painkiller or warm and cold compresses.  To prevent further discomfort, you may be assigned stretches for your jaw. 

Whatever your symptoms, you don’t have to suffer with discomfort in your jaw.  To learn more about TMD and the services we provide at the practice, visit BearCreekDental.CA for more information.  To schedule an appointment at Bear Creek Dental, located at Unit 201 10015 102 Ave, Grande Prairie, Alberta, T8v 0z8, Canada, call 780-539-0404.

Botox for Facial Pain

For over 20 years, Botox has commonly been used to erase unsightly frown lines and/or wrinkles. Recently, Botox has developed a popular reputation in the dental industry as a therapeutic use for facial pain due to TMJ/TMD. This is because Botox contains a tiny dose of botulinum which has the ability to decrease facial pain associated with this condition. If you’ve exhausted your treatment options for eliminating facial pain, schedule a consultation with one of our doctors at Bear Creek Dental to see if Botox is right for you.

TMD, commonly known as a temporomandibular joint disorder, is a condition associated with pain in the jaw and facial muscles, which can cause headaches, earaches, and general facial pain. During the procedure, Botox will be injected into the facial muscles without any sensory loss. This allows the facial muscles to relax, instead of contracting, which typically causes pain. There are other dental conditions that are sometimes treated using Botox, but our doctors at Bear Creek Dental will recommend the usage of this substance as he or she sees fit.   

If you suffer from facial pain and would like to discuss your treatment options, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.bearcreekdental.ca for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors in Grand Prairie AB, call 1-780-539-0404.