The Endodontic Group

Prepare patients for dental examinations, prepare dental instruments and filling materials, Sterilize and maintain instruments and equipment, educate patients concerning oral hygiene, Take and develop X-rays, record dental procedures performed on patients, Invoice patients for dental services

ON THIS REMEMBRANCE day, we want to thank all of those who have defended and served our nation. 🇨🇦

SMALL, FIBROUS DISKS act as cushions between the ball and socket of our jaw joints, and if something goes wrong with that disk like it eroding or shifting out of proper alignment, or if arthritis wears away the cartilage on the bone or there’s a traumatic injury to the joint, the result could be a TMJ disorder. These are more common in adults, but kids can get them too.

Common symptoms of a TMJ disorder include clicking, popping, or grating in the joint, pain or tenderness of the jaw, pain in one or both of the joints, difficult or painful chewing, aching pain around the face or ear, and difficulty opening or closing the jaw. 😬

There are a few ways to reduce TMJ pain. Avoid yawning if possible, or control a yawn with a fist pressed beneath the jaw. Keep extreme jaw movements to a minimum (such as when singing or yawning). 🗣Remember that the jaw’s natural resting position is with the teeth slightly apart, not all the way closed. Eat more soft foods that don’t need much chewing.

Most TMJ pain is temporary and will go away on its own before too long, but some requires treatment. Treatment can vary from simple measures like ice packs, exercise, and moist heat to more complex solutions like medication and splints, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), ultrasound treatment, or trigger-point injections. Jaw surgery may be recommended if all else fails, and orthodontic treatment can help if the cause is related to jaw alignment. 👍

ANY DISCOMFORT in a treated tooth should be far milder than the pre-root canal tooth, so over-the-counter medication is usually enough. 💊It’s also a good idea to swish warm salt water a few times a day until the tenderness is gone, and avoid chewing with the tooth.

Be careful with any temporary restorations. They’re only designed to last a few weeks, so don’t brush too hard around them and take care not to snag any floss on them. Just like with post-treatment tenderness, try to avoid chewing with a temporary restoration. The cement holding it in place might not be able to handle the strain. 😬

Root canals have a very high success rate compared to other types of surgery, but complications still happen in rare cases, and it’s important to address those quickly. Contact us right away for any of these symptoms in the weeks after root canal treatment:

Temperature sensitivity in the treated tooth
Pain from chewing
The temporary restoration came loose
The initial post-treatment discomfort doesn’t fade after the first week