Temporomandibular joint - disorders (commonly known as TMJ or TMD) afflict millions of Americans, mostly women. Although some have only one-time bouts with TMJ, others suffer from many symptoms for years, symptoms that often worsen with time. As with most disorders, TMJ is best relieved by early diagnosis and prompt treatment. Appropriate treatment varies with the cause and symptoms of the TMJ, the symptoms, and how far it has progressed.

The temporomandibular joint lies above and behind the ears on either side of the head, where the lower jawbone meets the temporal bone of the skull. The joint works constantly, when you chew and when you swallow, when you open your mouth to speak or yawn. TMJ disorders can bring:

• headaches
• facial pain
• tenderness in the jaw
• clicking and grinding noises in the jaw
• difficulty in opening the mouth (as if the jaw were locked)
• an uneven or uncomfortable bite
• trouble chewing certain foods
• aching in or near the ear

TMJ usually arises from the grinding or clenching of teeth (called bruxing), especially during sleep, of which you are likely to be unaware, but your dentist may detect it by looking at the wear on your teeth. To prevent bruxing, your dentist may recommend relaxation techniques or fashion a night guard - a shield to be worn in your mouth to keep your upper and lower teeth from touching.

Another frequent precursor of TMJ is uneven bite, which can occur if one row of teeth is higher on one side than on the other. When that happens, the ordinary grinding of the teeth during chewing stresses your two temporomandibular joints unequally. One joint overcompensates for the other, just as when you have a pebble in a shoe, you will probably limp, favoring the foot without the pebble. To fix your bite and prevent TML, the dentist may balance the biting surfaces of your teeth. Replacing missing teeth, fillings or crowns or may help significantly. In some cases, a bite plate fashioned for your mouth can help by removing uneven stress on teeth and jaws, thus realigning your upper and lower jaws.

Although some sufferers from TMJ may need nothing more than ordinary ibuprofen tablets to minimize pain and inflammation, the most serious cases require surgery to fix the joint. Regardless, prior to any attempt at treatment, a thorough examination by an experienced dentist is necessary.

If teeth are missing, Los Angeles dentist Dr. Azar-Mehr can replace them with dentures for the health of your mouth, as well as for appearances sake. If you don't replace missing teeth, you will find it harder to keep your gums and your other teeth healthy; without the support of the missing teeth, your jaw may become slack, thereby changing the shape of your face. Replacing missing teeth keeps you looking young and healthy longer.

You can replace missing teeth with full ("complete") dentures on the upper jaw, the lower jaw, or both; if only a few teeth are missing, you can replace them with partial dentures that fit between the teeth you still have.

Complete Dentures

Complete dentures replace all of the teeth on either the upper or lower jaw. Complete dentures are made from prefabricated acrylic and sized to fit the shape of your jaw and mouth. They mimic the color and appearance of your natural teeth. The unique impression of your teeth, bite, and the shape of your jaw shape will be used to create the dentures. Typically, conventional complete dentures require a one-to-two month wait after the extraction of your teeth, so that your mouth and gums will have time to heal, permitting a more accurate fitting. However, if you cannot afford to be without the missing teeth even for a short time, dentures can be inserted immediately after the extraction.

Over time your mouth will change, but your dentures will not. The jaw bones and gum can shrink or recede. You can have your dentures remade or refitted when necessary.

Partial Dentures

Partial dentures are removable devices that replace a few missing teeth, instead of all the teeth on the jaw line. They can be attached either by metal clasps or precision attachments. Precision attachments require crowns to be put on the remaining abutments teeth that hold the partial dentures in place. Regardless, these supporting teeth must be in good health.