If you are someone who experiences constant and severe jaw pain, there is a good possibility that you may have TMD or temporomandibular joint disorder. It is common for patients with chronic headaches and jaw pain not to realize that the pain comes from the joint connecting the jaw bone to the skull. The temporomandibular joint is a hinge-like joint that allows the jaw bone to move and perform its necessary functions. Over time and due to specific stresses and pressures, the joint can cause problems. Are you experiencing jaw pain? Do you think you might have TMD? We can help you identify this disorder and treat you with TMJ therapy that we offer at our Kellogg, ID dental office.  

How do I Know I Have TMJ Disorder? 

There are many signs that you could be suffering from a TMD. Below we have listed some of the most common ones we suggest patients look out for. 

• Clicking or popping in the jaw while chewing or speaking 
• Pain and swelling in the jaw area where the joint is located 
• Chronic headaches can be caused by tension 
• You notice a slight or significant alignment difference within your smile 
• It is painful to chew or clench your jaw 
• Ringing in your ears or earaches since the joint is right below the ear 

Although you can look out for signs, it is impossible to know for a fact whether you have a TMD unless you get it diagnosed by a dental professional.  

What Causes TMD? 

What causes TMD is different and unique to the patient. The most common reason for developing a TMD is a strain on the joints and muscles that allow us to chew, grind our teeth, swallow, and speak. We use these muscles constantly each day, and pain can start to occur with excessive use. 

Strain is most likely to come from bruxism or the grinding of the teeth. Our teeth are not meant to grind together, so when it occurs, damage can happen, and the muscles used to perform the grinding can become irritated. If you know that you grind your teeth, whether consciously or while you are sleeping, it is essential to let us know so we can help get you the help you need. 

TMJ Therapy 

At Complete Dental Care, we offer high-quality and complete care to all patients. When it comes to therapy for a TMD/TMJ, there are many things that you can be doing on your own to either prevent it from occurring or worsening. Some tips that we give our patients are: 

• Chewing gum exercises our facial muscles, but it can be excessive if done constantly. Avoid chewing gum frequently. Give your muscles a break. 
• Most people, subconsciously, are constantly clenching their jaw while their mouths are closed. At Complete Dental Care, we like to remind our patients to keep their teeth apart while their mouth is closed. 
• For tension headaches, take over-the-counter medication. 

We hate seeing our patients in pain, and we want to help correct your disorder as soon as possible to get you feeling like yourself again. We can also help you prevent bruxism by creating a customized mouth guard in our office. You can wear mouth guards while you sleep. It is a small device that you bite on while sleeping instead of your teeth grinding together. 

Why do I Need to Receive TMJ Therapy? 

Jaw pain caused by a TMD can last long if you do not receive therapy. Receiving help from a dental professional will help you figure out the reason for your disorder and how to best treat and prevent it. Call our Dental Office in Kellogg, ID. You are only one call away from receiving the care you need to stop your constant jaw and facial pains. We are here to help, so please give us a call.

Are you constantly feeling tired, even after a whole night of sleep? Is your partner telling you that you snore too loudly? If you answered yes to either or both of these questions, you might be suffering from a sleep disorder. Sleep apnea is a severe sleeping disorder that is identified by stopped breathing throughout an average night’s sleep. When breathing is temporarily stopped, patients tend to wake suddenly due to their body detecting a diminished oxygen supply. At Complete Dental Care, we take your overall health very seriously and want all of our patients to know how sleep apnea affects your overall health and we want to familiarize you with the symptoms so that you can receive help as soon as possible.

Common Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

Diagnosing this condition is done by completing a sleep test that a medical provider administers. But, to help our patients, we have listed the common sleep apnea symptoms to help you beware of possible sleep apnea cases. They are as follows:

• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Insomnia
• Loud snoring
• Morning headaches
• Sleep deprivation
• Difficulty focusing
• Irritability

If you have noticed that you are suffering from one or more of these symptoms, it is vital to reach out to a professional for help.

Treatment

The most common type of sleep disorder that we help treat here in our office is called obstructive sleep apnea. This is when the muscles in the throat relax during sleep, causing the airway to be blocked off, therefore, preventing oxygen from flowing.

The most well-known type of sleep apnea treatment is the use of a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine that is worn throughout the night to ensure the patient is receiving constant oxygen. Although this treatment does work, it can be a hassle to wear every night. At Complete Dental Care, we offer customized oral sleep apnea appliances.

Untreated, this sleep disorder will typically get worse with time and can lead to more intense health issues. It is common among people suffering from sleep apnea to have high blood pressure, develop diabetes, and suffer from a stroke.

Get Diagnosed

If you believe that you could be suffering from a sleep disorder, you should immediately tell either a health or dental professional. It would be best if you took care of this as soon as possible to help limit the risk of other serious health issues.

To be diagnosed professionally, it is common to undergo a sleep test where sudden wakes and oxygen levels will be monitored and recorded. Having a sleep disorder is nothing to be ashamed of, and it can be managed!

Please give us a call at Complete Dental Care if you have questions regarding sleep apnea or the symptoms that you have been experiencing.

There are several ways a tooth can break. You might be chewing on something hard like candy or ice and feel something crack, and an entire piece could break off due to a blow to the face. Or, if you have tooth decay, the resulting weakness in the enamel can significantly increase your chances of a break or crack as well as grinding or clenching your teeth frequently. Broken teeth often come with some pain and discomfort and the inconvenience of needing to schedule an appointment with your dentist. With Complete Dental Care, you don’t have to panic. There are many ways we can treat a broken tooth and bring the look and function of your teeth back to normal.

Types of Broken Teeth

• Cracked Tooth: This is a vertical crack from the tooth’s occlusal (biting surface) to or beyond your gum line.
• Craze Lines: also known as hairline cracks. These thin and typically pain-free cracks appear on the surface (enamel) of your teeth.
• Fractured Cusp: These are usually not painful. These fractures form around a dental filling.
• Split Teeth: A fracture that goes all the way from your tooth’s surface to below your gum line, splitting your tooth into two parts.
• Vertical Root Fracture: These cracks start at the bottom of the root and go all the way to the tooth’s biting surface.

Not all cracks are necessarily dental emergencies. You may notice a break but are experiencing no pain or other symptoms. It is always a good idea to see your dentist when you notice them, as you can never fully predict if a small crack will become something more serious before your next checkup.

What to do Right When Part of a Tooth Breaks Off

For more serious breaks or fractures where a portion of the tooth chips off, it is essential to schedule an appointment with us as soon as possible. Below are steps to take right after a break occurs and before you can get treatment.

• Collect the broken-off pieces: Gather any tooth fragments and rinse them with lukewarm water, especially if there is dirt or other matter on them.
• Store broken tooth fragments: If possible, store the fragments in milk or the cheek of the mouth. These two methods of keeping the pieces moist are typically more effective than storing them in water or saline and increase the chances of successful treatment.
• Treat any bleeding: Use sterile gauze or cloth to address any bleeding that occurs.
• Address pain: Use a cool compress like ice to help reduce any swelling and address minor pain. Treat more severe pain with over-the-counter pain medication like acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

Treatments for a Broken Tooth

Your dentist will be able to diagnose your injury properly and may recommend one of the following treatments:

• Dental filling or bonding
• Dental cap or crown
• Dental veneers
• Root canal therapy

The right treatment really depends on the location of the tooth in the mouth and other factors such as the level of decay in the tooth. Some treatments are more involved, and it could be that one treatment is tried, but then another becomes necessary later on.

With all of these potential paths to recovery, a broken tooth can feel overwhelming. By taking a few smart steps and then getting the help of your dentist for the proper treatment, a complete and satisfying recovery is often possible. No matter what treatment is decided, treatment will help mitigate the risk of future infection or bacterial spread caused by the crack and get your teeth back to good health. If you have any questions call us today!