St Clair Spadina Dental - Toronto

TMJ Therapy in Toronto

TMJ stands for Temporomandibular Joint and TMD stands for Temporomandibular Disorder. TMJ and TMD are both often used to describe the conditions affecting the muscles, nerves and joints of the jaw.
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Jaw pain is not normal.

If jaw pain is part of your everyday life, it may seem normal to you. The truth is, jaw pain is far from normal and may be a symptom of a condition called TMD from one or both of your TMJs. Those are the joints of your lower jaw, called TemporoMandibular Joints. When disease or misalignment occurs, the TMJ and surrounding area becomes inflamed — which is what causes pain and other symptoms.

    What are the signs of TMJ disorder (TMD)?
  • Headaches
  • Earaches, tenderness around the ear
  • Face or jaw pain and tenderness
  • Muscle pain in your neck, shoulders and upper back
  • Ringing in the ears
  • Clicking, popping, or grinding jaw
  • Difficulty chewing, yawning or opening your mouth

How do we diagnose and treat TMJ disorder?

Diagnosis

Treatment of TMD begins with a comprehensive clinical examination, to check your face, jaw, bite, joints, and teeth. During your appointment, we will check for pain and tenderness and listen for clicking or popping when you open and close your mouth, swallow, or chew. If the disorder is diagnosed, a bite splint or night guard is often recommended as the initial treatment.

Treatment and Relief

Our treatment application involves bite splints, which are custom-created plastic mouthpieces, designed to fit over your upper and/or lower teeth. These type of devices prevent the grinding and clenching that often causes or worsens TMD. The splint also realigns the jaw, removing stress on the surrounding area.

Alternative Treatment Options

If a misaligned bite or missing teeth are the cause of your symptoms, we may recommend orthodontics or restorative dental work. If your bite is placing undue pressure on the TMJ’s, we may suggest reshaping individual teeth to redistribute the bite force evenly.

Contact us today

to schedule an initial consultation & exam.

Your consultation will include an examination of everything from your teeth, gums and soft tissues to the shape and condition of your bite. Generally, we want to see how your whole mouth looks and functions. Before we plan your treatment we want to know everything about the health and aesthetic of your smile, and, most importantly, what you want to achieve so we can help you get there.

Frequently Asked Questions

TMJ stands for Temporomandibular Joint. If this joint becomes misaligned or inflamed we refer to that as Temporomandibular Joint Disorder or TMD for short.
Signs or symptoms of TMD include pain and tenderness in or around the ear, the jaw joint, or the muscles of the jaw, face or temples. Other symptoms are problems opening or closing your mouth, and a clicking, popping, crunching or grinding noise when you chew, yawn or open your mouth. TMDs may be linked with neck pain and headaches.
TMD is caused by a combination of factors like jaw injuries and joint disease, such as arthritis. It’s believed that bruxism (tooth clenching or grinding) and head or neck muscle tension may make TMD symptoms worse. Stress is also a possible factor. However, it is not clear if stress causes TMD or is a result. Other things that may lead to TMDs are partial or full dentures that are not the right fit and certain habits such as fingernail biting and pen or pencil biting. As you can see, there are an array of different causes which makes TMD hard to diagnose. The best way to understand your jaw pain symptoms are to book an appointment.
There are many possible causes of headaches. No doctor will be able to determine the cause of your headache without a physical examination.
Most often, TMJ pain can be treated effectively with non-invasive treatments and therapies. In very rare circumstances, TMD may require surgery. Your health and happiness are both important to us. We will always present you with all of your options, work through the safest and easiest options first, and give you the final decision on what happens next.

What Our Patients Are Saying

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    Sylvia Prodhan
    8 months ago
    This was the best experience I have ever had at a dentist’s clinic. All of the staff there were very patient, sweet and accommodating. I made a last minute appointment for a wisdom tooth removal, and was very nervous. Dr. Yip was respectful and gentle, and communicated with me every step of the way. They even let me keep my tooth! I felt very safe in the care of Dr. Yip, Janine, and Khairun. If you’re looking for a clinic that you can trust, this is the place. Thank you again.
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    Katie Babcock
    3 weeks ago
    Wonderful experience at St. Clair Spadina Dental. I had my first appointment there this week and I was really impressed with the level of care and attention both Dr. Yip and his staff paid to several dental issues I've had for a while. I'm looking forward to getting everything sorted out in the coming months!
    More
    Elisa Gontier
    1 month ago
    My family and I have been going to St Clair Spadina Dental dental for years. Dr Yip and his team are kind, knowledgeable and compassionate. I always feel very well taken care of and would recommend them to anyone!
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    Tracey Gordon
    2 months ago
    Dr. Yip, who is dentist to both my daughter and I, is excellent; he is very knowledgeable, kind and takes time to explain procedures. Due to having sensitivity with the “Waterpic” type of cleaning, Dr. Yip cleans my teeth the old school way! Staff are always pleasant and professional. No fluff or pretence, just great dentistry. Thank you! ❤️
    More
    Jelena L
    5 months ago
    A great dental clinic! The staff is all very friendly and know what they're doing. Dr. Carl Yip is very attentive and patient. I'm always nervous going to the dentist but the experience here has been so seamless and makes me less nervous!
    More
    Sylvia Prodhan
    8 months ago
    This was the best experience I have ever had at a dentist’s clinic. All of the staff there were very patient, sweet and accommodating. I made a last minute appointment for a wisdom tooth removal, and was very nervous. Dr. Yip was respectful and gentle, and communicated with me every step of the way. They even let me keep my tooth! I felt very safe in the care of Dr. Yip, Janine, and Khairun. If you’re looking for a clinic that you can trust, this is the place. Thank you again.
    More
    Katie Babcock
    3 weeks ago
    Wonderful experience at St. Clair Spadina Dental. I had my first appointment there this week and I was really impressed with the level of care and attention both Dr. Yip and his staff paid to several dental issues I've had for a while. I'm looking forward to getting everything sorted out in the coming months!
    More
    Elisa Gontier
    1 month ago
    My family and I have been going to St Clair Spadina Dental dental for years. Dr Yip and his team are kind, knowledgeable and compassionate. I always feel very well taken care of and would recommend them to anyone!
    More
    Tracey Gordon
    2 months ago
    Dr. Yip, who is dentist to both my daughter and I, is excellent; he is very knowledgeable, kind and takes time to explain procedures. Due to having sensitivity with the “Waterpic” type of cleaning, Dr. Yip cleans my teeth the old school way! Staff are always pleasant and professional. No fluff or pretence, just great dentistry. Thank you! ❤️
    More
    Jelena L
    5 months ago
    A great dental clinic! The staff is all very friendly and know what they're doing. Dr. Carl Yip is very attentive and patient. I'm always nervous going to the dentist but the experience here has been so seamless and makes me less nervous!
    More
      St Clair Spadina Dental - Toronto

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      Call 647-559-9588