Causes of TMJ

According to one researcher, "[Up to] 78% of the general public have some amount of TMJ dysfunction. This condition can begin during
the birth process...One of the primary causes can be poor nutrition." Indeed, TMJ symptoms are found in young children.

Other causes of TMJ Syndrome are poor posture. spinal or skull subluxations, accidents and trauma (even from childhood). For example, a child may fall on his/her sacrum and in time, through the adaptive body mechanisms, the pelvic imbalance can affect the TMJ, head and neck.

Gerald Smith, DDS. a specialist in this field. says dental work is the cause of many TMJ problems: Orthodontic treatment affects the cranium in 100% of cases. ...The structural imbalances cause chronic fatigue, headaches, scalp tenderness, pains behind the eyes, mumed ear sounds, ringing, hissing or other ear distortions, balance problems, nausea, fadal tightness and cervical or lower back pain.

Dr. Daryl Curl, who holds degrees in both dentistry and chiropractic. confirms that orthotics (braces. crowns. etc.) may contribute to or worsen a patient's head-pain complaint. The pain of ill-fitting dental work can be quite intense. There are even reports of individuals
fordng dentists to remove their braces at gun point!

Let us not overlook that the very act of sitting open-mouthed in a dental chair and getting
worked on puts great stress on the TMJ .

The Standard Dental/Medical Approach

Standard approaches to TMJ Syndrome include muscle relaxant drugs; painkillers; oral
appliances, such as a night guard to control bruxism (grinding of the teeth); massage
and a soft diet to ease the pain of chewing. Other treatments are orthodontics, restorative dentistry to build up the bite. bite plates and physical therapy. In severe cases jaw surgery has been performed. Yet this drastic step should be taken only after more conservative approaches have failed.

Start today toward a healthier tomorrow!