TMJ Disorder and Shifting Teeth

One of the symptoms of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder is that your teeth may begin to shift or not line up the way they used to. TMJ disorder is a term used to describe any condition that affects the temporomandibular joint or causes it to become inflamed.

Your temporomandibular joint is the hinge that connects the lower jaw to the rest of your skull. If this joint becomes damaged or inflamed, it can cause headaches, jaw pain, or popping and clicking noises when opening and closing the mouth.

Link Between TMJ Disorder and Teeth Shifting

The reason that TMJ disorder can make it seem like the teeth are no longer lining up correctly is because the jaw is misaligned. Once this happens, a vicious cycle occurs in which the damage causes inflammation, which causes more damage, etc. To fix the problem, we may use a lower jaw splint to keep the jaw properly aligned.

Wisdom teeth have also been known to contribute to the shifting of teeth. If your wisdom teeth begin to emerge at the same time you start experiencing TMJ problems, it can be helpful for the wisdom teeth to be removed. This can often be enough to fix the problem on its own, but a lower jaw splint may still be used.

TMJ disorder is painful and can disrupt your day-to-day life. If you believe you’re having temporomandibular joint problems, please contact Auburn Family Dental to make an appointment. Our general dentistry office is located in Wichita, KS.