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Common Jaw Conditions: Are You Experiencing Jaw Pain?

Posted by Genny Skrobanek on September 5, 2023

Talking, eating, and drinking are all important to your well-being; not to mention, they’re simple activities that we take for granted. If you’re experiencing jaw pain, caused by jaw conditions, these everyday activities can be very painful and uncomfortable. Let’s discuss …

Proper Jaw Function is Important – Common Jaw Conditions

As we know, the health and proper functioning of your jaw are essential for everyday activities such as talking, eating, and drinking. Jaw pain and discomfort, often associated with various jaw conditions, can significantly impact your quality of life. Here are some common jaw conditions and how they can affect daily activities:

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMD): TMD is a condition that affects the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), which connects your jaw to your skull. It can cause jaw pain, headaches, and difficulty in opening and closing your mouth. Everyday activities like chewing and speaking can become painful and challenging for individuals with TMD.
Bruxism: Bruxism is the habit of grinding or clenching your teeth, often during sleep. It can lead to jaw pain, headaches, and even tooth damage. Individuals with bruxism may experience discomfort during eating and talking due to the strain on their jaw muscles.
Malocclusion: Malocclusion refers to misaligned teeth or an improper bite. When your teeth don’t align correctly, it can lead to jaw pain and difficulty in biting and chewing food properly. Malocclusion can also affect speech.
Jaw Fractures: Jaw fractures can occur due to trauma or accidents. In such cases, speaking, eating, and drinking can be extremely painful or nearly impossible until the fracture is treated and heals.
Jaw Arthritis: Arthritis affecting the jaw joint can cause pain and stiffness, making it challenging to perform daily activities that involve jaw movement.
Infections: Infections in the jaw, such as dental abscesses or salivary gland infections, can lead to swelling, pain, and difficulty in opening the mouth. This can affect eating and speaking.
Jaw Tumors or Cysts: Growths or abnormalities in the jawbone can cause pain and swelling, impacting the ability to perform everyday tasks comfortably.

If you’re experiencing jaw pain or discomfort that interferes with your daily activities, it’s essential to seek prompt evaluation and treatment from a healthcare professional. Depending on the underlying cause of your jaw condition, treatment options may include medication, physical therapy, orthodontic treatment, oral surgery, or other specialized interventions.

Managing jaw pain and addressing the root cause of your jaw condition can help improve your quality of life and make talking, eating, and drinking more comfortable and enjoyable activities once again.

We’re here to help you get to the bottom of what could be wrong and help you move forward onto treatment to correct your problem and get you out of pain.

Just the Facts about Jaw Conditions

Among the many possible causes of jaw conditions are infection, cancer, injury, inflammation, and genetic and birth defects. But, did you know:

Jaw conditions can occur in any age group or population.
Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ) is a common jaw condition in the United States.
- Between 5 – 12% of people in the United States have TMJ
- TMJ is more common in younger people, particularly women
In children, a common jaw condition is a birth defect known as cleft palate.
Malocclusion (misalignment) of the teeth is a common cause of jaw problems in children and adults.
Common causes of jaw problems in middle-aged adults:
- Impacted wisdom teeth
- Periodontal disease
- Jaw clenching
Poorly fitting dentures are a common cause of jaw problems in older adults and seniors.
Signs and symptoms of jaw conditions vary depending on the specific type of jaw disease, disorder, or condition. Common symptoms include jaw pain and difficulty chewing.
Myofascial Pain Syndrome is often caused by tension, spasm, or fatigue of the muscles that allow a person to chew, called the masticatory muscles.
Seek immediate medical care (call 911) for serious symptoms that include:
- severe injury to the face
- bleeding
- inability to open or close the mouth
- difficulty breathing or swallowing

Causes of Jaw Conditions

Jaw conditions develop from a number of causes. Most commonly, people have jaw pain as a result of:

Jaw infection
Benign or malignant tumors
Trauma to include head injury, dislocation or fractures
Inflammation
TMJ Disorder
Bruxism (teeth grinding)
Medication side effects
Dental abscess
Periodontal disease
Poorly fitting dentures or dental appliances
Genetic diseases and disorders
Birth defects
Arthritis

What are the Symptoms of Jaw Conditions?

Jaw conditions cause dysfunction and pain in the jaw and face region that may result in a number of symptoms. The symptoms can vary in intensity among individuals, based on the type of condition they are suffering from.

TMJ Symptoms and Causes

The temporomandibular joints, called TMJ, are the jaw muscles and joints that make it possible to open and close your mouth. Many patients refer to it as “TMJ”. Located on each side of your head, the TMJ or jaw muscles work together when you speak, chew or swallow and include ligaments, muscles and the jaw bone. They also control the lower jaw (mandible) as it moves backward, forward, and side to side.

Although not life threatening, if TMJ disorder is left untreated, it can contribute to significant discomfort and tension. Chronic pain can even lead to the development of diseases like anxiety and depression.

Symptoms of TMJ Disorder include:

Jaw pain or tenderness
Chewing difficulty or discomfort
Difficulty opening and closing mouth (locking of the joint)
Earache (aching pain around and in your ear)
Ringing in the ears
Aching Facial pain
Headaches
Locking of the joint, making it difficult to open or close your mouth
Grating or clicking sounds in the jaw joints
Uneven bite
Misaligned teeth

TMJ disorders can also cause a grating sensation or clicking sound when you chew or open your mouth. If you are not experiencing jaw pain or limited movement with your jaw clicking, you probably don’t need treatment for a TMJ disorder. However, if left untreated, the TMJ symptoms increase in number and severity as you get older.

Possible causes of TMJ disorders include:

Arthritis
Dislocation
Injury
Tooth and jaw alignment
Stress and teeth grinding

What should I do if I suspect TMJ Syndrome?

Bite problems associated with the alignment of the jaws, muscles and teeth cause the majority of TMJ disorders. By adjusting your bite (the way your teeth come together), many times we can properly align the teeth, muscles and jaws to be in the most comfortable positions. This alignment correction will often reduce or eliminate your TMJ symptoms.

Consultation of your TMJ issues by Dr. Skrobanek is an important first step in determining the best course of treatment.

Bruxism Symptoms & Causes

Bruxism is a condition where you grind, gnash, or clench your teeth. Not only does this mean you may clench your teeth while you’re awake, but it also means you grind your teeth at night. When you grind at night, it’s also known as sleep bruxism. If you do this, you’re also prone to other sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea or snoring.

Symptoms related to bruxism (tooth grinding and jaw clenching) include:

Chewed tissue on the inside of the cheek
Chronic facial pain
Earache
Enlarged jaw muscles
Headache
Increased tooth sensitivity
Indentations on the tongue
Jaw pain or tightness in jaw muscles
Pain while chewing
Teeth grinding or clenching
Damaged teeth that are worn down, flattened, fractured or chipped
Worn tooth enamel that exposes deeper layers of the tooth

Possible causes of Bruxism include:

Anxiety
Stress
Anger
Tension
Frustration
Coping strategy or habit during deep concentration

What should I do if I suspect Bruxism?

If you know you are grinding your teeth, or if you suspect teeth clenching and grinding may be to blame for pain or other symptoms, see a dentist. They can examine your teeth for wear to determine if you grind them. They can also look at your bite and alignment.

Teeth grinding is a common condition and treating it early is important to avoid significant dental complications. Your dentist is a good resource for diagnosing and treating bruxism.

Dr. Skrobanek can help prevent cracked and fractured teeth by designing a mouthguard or oral appliance to wear at night to keep you from clenching and grinding your teeth. As we know, there is a link between dental health and mental health and thankfully, mouthguards are a wonderful way to protect your teeth at night. They can also help with sleep apnea and snoring. Each mouthguard will be custom-made by Dr. Skrobanek to fit your mouth comfortably and will keep your teeth separated so they don’t grind together.

There’s more good news: Custom mouthguards or oral appliance therapy is covered by many insurance plans and the team at GPS Dental can help answer any questions you may have about your coverage.

Mouthguards Protect Your Smile – They Aren’t Just for Athletes!
Stressed Out Oral Health: Gum Disease, Clenching and Grinding
More on Mouthguards from HealthLine

Other Symptoms

There are a number of other causes of jaw conditions. Symptoms will vary depending on the underlying cause and you may or may not be experiencing jaw pain. Examples of symptoms include:

Bleeding
Deformity of the jaw or face
Lump in the jawbone or surrounding tissues
Redness, warmth or swelling
Stiffness or spasms

Symptoms Indicating a Serious Condition

In some cases, a jaw condition can be a serious condition that should be immediately evaluated in an emergency setting. Seek immediate medical care (call 911) if you, or someone you are with, have any of these serious symptoms:

Difficulty breathing
Difficulty swallowing
Painful chewing
Locked jaw (unable to open or close)
Numbness or tingling sensation
Severe bleeding
Stiffness, spasm

Diagnosis is an important step before treatment. Consult with Dr. Skrobanek, the dentist who treats TMJ disorders and Bruxism in the San Antonio area, to determine what type of jaw condition is causing you to suffer. If you are experiencing jaw pain, part of your dental examination will include checking the muscles and joints for clicking, popping, tenderness or difficulty moving.

It’s also important to stay up to date on your cleanings and routine visits to your dentist. In the meantime, having a strong and steady oral health routine – brushing twice a day and flossing once – is the best thing you can do for your oral health! If you are experiencing jaw pain, don’t hesitate to call us immediately.

Dr. Gary P. Skrobanek and his experienced, friendly team at GPS Dental offer affordable family dentistry and gentle dental care in the San Antonio, TX area. Our Brooks City Base dentist office is conveniently located and offers early morning appointment times Monday through Friday to meet your needs. At GPS Dental, we provide most dental services, from family and general dentistry to dental implants, sleep apnea, TMJ / TMD Treatment, cosmetic dentistry and much more. We accept most dental insurance plans and offer affordable financial solutions for any budget. Call us at (210) 633-3477 to make an appointment.

Mouthguards Protect Your Smile – They Aren’t Just for Athletes!

Posted by Genny Skrobanek on August 11, 2021

Many of us have heard of (or have used) retainers at one point in our lives. Retainers are often used in orthodontic treatment and can keep our teeth straight, but are not specialized in helping protect our teeth – that falls to mouthguards.

According to Cleveland Clinic,

“Mouthguards cover your teeth to protect teeth and gums. Custom-fitted mouthguards fit and protect your teeth better than over-the-counter mouthguards. Night guards can ease bruxism (teeth grinding). Kids and adults should wear mouthguards during contact sports or activities like biking.”

Learn More from Cleveland Clinic: Mouthguards: What are they and what do they do?

The Benefits of Mouthguards

Mouthguards protect your smile, whether you’re an athlete or grind your teeth while you sleep!

When we play sports. Mouthguards are great athletic gear, especially for collision sports such as boxing, higher-risk sports, and non-contact activities.
When we’re sleeping. If you’re experiencing sleep apnea or breathing problems when sleeping, mouthguards can help. Research shows that oral appliance therapy, or a mouth guard, is an effective treatment option for sleep apnea and snoring. This mouth guard is worn only while you sleep and fits like an orthodontic retainer. These oral appliances support your jaw, to help maintain an open upper airway even as your muscles relax.
When we’re stressed and/or clench our teeth. When we’re dealing with stress, we can unconsciously clench our jaws and teeth during the day and during the night. With the additional stress that has come with a year and a half COVID-19, many dentists are seeing their patients break their teeth or crowns from clenching. Mouthguards provide wonderful protection from this!

Who Needs a Mouthguard?

Mouthguards protect your smile and can be used by anyone – children and adults alike. In fact, with so many kiddos going back to school, it’s important to consider the importance of a mouthguard for sports – such as basketball, soccer, football, volleyball, gymnastics, etc.

Even if you or your child only participates in recreational activities, such as skateboarding or hiking, mouthguards are still a great option for protection to remove risk of oral injury.

Mouthguards are also common for adults or children who have Bruxism – or grind their teeth at night. At GPS Dental, we can create custom-fitting mouthguards that are comfortable and fit perfectly within your mouth for sleep without damaging your teeth!

Are You Grinding Your Teeth? Mouthguards are a Solution

Dr. Skrobanek can help prevent cracked and fractured teeth by designing a mouthguard or oral appliance to wear at night to keep you from clenching and grinding your teeth. We know there’s a dental health mental health link and thankfully, mouthguards are a wonderful way to protect your teeth at night. They can also help with sleep apnea and snoring. Each mouthguard will be custom-made by Dr. Skrobanek to fit your mouth comfortably and will keep your teeth separated so they don’t grind together.

There’s more good news: Custom mouthguards or oral appliance therapy is covered by many insurance plans and the team at GPS Dental can help answer any questions you may have about your coverage.

Related Articles:

Taking Care of My Mouthguard

Similar to a retainer, you can rinse your mouthguard daily with cold water and gently brush it with mild soap and a toothbrush. You can also:

Clean it with cool, soapy water and rinse.
Place your mouthguard in a perforated container to keep airflow while it’s stored. Or, if you have an acrylic mouthguard, you can keep it in fresh, clean water.
It’s good to protect your mouthguard from hot temperatures – hot water, surfaces, etc.
If you see any holes or wear and tear on your mouthguard, it is time to replace it.
You can also bring your mouthguard with you when you visit us and we can examine it!

GPS Dental AND Mouthguards Protect Your Smile

Know you know more about how mouthguards protect your smile! It’s also important to stay up to date on your cleanings and routine visits with Dr. Skrobanek. In the meantime, having a strong and steady oral health routine – brushing twice a day and flossing once – is the best thing you can do for your oral health!

Stress: The Mental Health Dental Health Link

Posted by Genny Skrobanek on September 30, 2020

Stress and Oral Health

Can stress cause harm to your teeth? Unfortunately, the answer is yes and we know there is a dental health mental health link. Just like how stress can affect most areas of your body and your mental wellbeing, it can also impact your oral health. When your mind feels strained and out-of-control, your whole body can feel it as well.

According to HealthGrades, here are 6 Ways Stress Can Affect Your Oral Health.

Though it may not be widely known, anxiety and stress can cause patients to clench their jaw and grind their teeth often, and this can result in cracked teeth or inflamed gums. With a worldwide pandemic going on, many dentists have stated that they’re busier than ever with repairing fractured teeth multiple times a week or even every day.

NY Times Article: More and More Cracked Teeth

Teeth Grinding Spike

Since the pandemic onset, we’ve all experienced new levels of normalcy, new levels of stress, and have had to adapt to completely new surroundings, procedures, and more. It’s been a lot to take in, to say the least. According to The New York Times, there are three major components to tooth fractures and mental health right now, and those are:

Working from home. If you’re used to working in an office setting, you may find it difficult to find the best place to work at home. You may not have the space for a desk and ergonomic office chair that helps you maintain a good posture. Believe it or not, bad posture and strain on your body throughout the day is a big contributor to teeth grinding.
Insomnia and restlessness. Many people are experiencing restlessness and anxiety when trying to sleep at night during the pandemic. When you’re not experiencing restorative sleep, your body goes into its “fight or flight” response, which often leads to grinding the teeth.
Not seeing your dentist. Our day to day life is a whole different rhythm. Before, you could make appointments and keep to them, but now that isn’t so easy, and so you might forget to check in for your cleaning appointment and see your dentist. It’s so important to come in and see your dentist, especially if you think you may be grinding your teeth. Dental offices are safe to return to and take every precaution to keep you safe and healthy.

USA Today Article: The Pandemic Has Taken a Toll on Mental Health

Solution for Teeth Grinding – Mouthguard

Dr. Skrobanek can help prevent cracked and fractured teeth by designing a mouthguard or oral appliance to wear at night to keep you from grinding and clenching teeth. We know there’s a dental health mental health link and thankfully, mouthguards are a wonderful way to protect your teeth at night. They can also help with sleep apnea and snoring. Each mouthguard will be custom-made by Dr. Skrobanek to fit your mouth comfortably and will keep your teeth separated so they don’t grind together.

Related Articles:

Get Some Sleep: Custom Mouthguard for Sleep Apnea

Custom Mouthguards Help Sleep Apnea

It’s Safe to Visit Your Dentist Today!

According to the American Dental Association (ADA), no cases of COVID-19 have been attributed to any U.S. dental practices. This is a wonderful statistic for dental offices and shows how serious dental offices have taken their safety measures.

It’s safe and essential to visit your dentist’s office, and we take your health and safety very seriously. We can’t wait to see you soon! Please call today to schedule your next appointment.

Dr. Gary P. Skrobanek’s experienced and friendly team at GPS Dental offers affordable dental care for all ages in San Antonio, TX area. Our Brooks City Base dentist office is conveniently located and offers early morning appointment times Monday through Friday to meet your needs. At GPS Dental, we promote dental health awareness to our patients and provide most dental services, from family and general dentistry to dental implants, sleep apnea, TMJ / TMD Treatment, cosmetic dentistry and much more. We accept most dental insurance plans and offer affordable financial solutions for any budget. Call us at 210-633-3477 to make an appointment.

Custom Mouthguards help Sleep Apnea

Posted by Genny Skrobanek on December 12, 2017

Sleep Apnea Symptoms: 10 Signs You May Have Sleep Apnea

Lack of sleep is reaching epidemic levels in the United States and much of the sleeplessness that we are experiencing is self-induced; from late-night TV to the blue glow of late-night screen time with your favorite device. I guess you can call it techy-induced insomnia. Our world has quickly changed due to the evolution of technology and many feel it is a main cause of a disorder known as Sleep Apnea. Many times this disorder is improperly diagnosed as insomnia. Over 20 million Americans suffer from Sleep Apnea, but almost 90% of people who have Sleep Apnea are undiagnosed.

Here are a couple of eye-popping statistics about people who suffer from Sleep Apnea:

People with sleep apnea are twice as likely to crash and die in a car accident
People with sleep apnea also have a 30% higher risk of dying from a heart attack

The most common type of sleep apnea is called Obstructive Sleep Apnea. It can set off a chain reaction of negative health conditions that include stroke, depression, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, depression … the list goes on and on.

It’s important to pay attention to signs or symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea to know if you should find help.

Here are ten signs that you might have sleep apnea:

1. Excessive and persistent snoring

Does your snoring wake you up in the middle of the night? Or does it wake the person sleeping next to you up at night? Does the snoring sound like a lawnmower? Is it extremely loud? This type of excessive snoring is the first sign of sleep apnea. This is because there is an obstruction in the respiratory tract, which is pretty much the definition of sleep apnea.

Of course, just because you snore doesn’t mean you have sleep apnea. A lot of people snore and a lot of them snore loudly. It’s just a sign that if you have excessive, loud snoring, you should talk to Dr. Skrobanek about it during your next dental appointment.

2. Obesity

In the U.S., obesity rates are out of this world and approximately 65% of Americans are obese or overweight. We lead a much more sedentary lifestyle than our ancestors did. One hundred years ago, our population was very active. They were laborers, farmers and field workers. And they ate real food; not processed food and definitely not fast food. Our lifestyle is wreaking havoc on our health as a nation and on our waist line.

However, researchers believe that the heavier someone is, the larger their neck is, which could increase a person’s chances of developing sleep apnea.

3. Always feeling tired

Regardless of how long you sleep each night, do you wake up still feeling tired? Is it hard to stay awake during a meeting at work or while you’re driving? Chronic fatigue is another very common sign of sleep apnea. Especially if you are consistently feeling like you’ve had a bad night of sleep.

You may not realize that you’re having multiple pauses in your breathing every night, which can keep from getting into that deep sleep your body needs. If this is the case, your body thinks you’re taking a light cat nap instead of getting 7 to 8 hours of restful, deep sleep. Make sure to let Dr. Skrobanek know at your next dental appointment if you’re more tired than normal.

4. Night sweats

Do you wake up in the middle of the night dripping in sweat? It could have been a nightmare and it could because you have sleep apnea. Your body goes into hyper-drive each time you stop breathing or have when is commonly referred to as an apnea. Essentially your body is fighting to get air and causing night sweats. Or because you’re lacking oxygen and missing breaths, your body is in fight or flight mode of panic. Either way, you’re waking up from night sweats and you could be suffering from sleep apnea.

5. Continually waking up at night

Sometimes people with obstructive sleep apnea can experience hundreds of breathing pauses during the night. Each time this happens, your body is waking you up and causing you to be tired the next day. This can be one of the most damaging signs of sleep apnea, because it’s causing your body to not get the deep sleep it desperately needs.

6. Frequent nighttime urination

Are you waking up several times during the middle of the night to go to the bathroom? Most people can sleep for 7 to 8 hours during the night without having to urinate; however, if you are suffering from sleep apnea, getting up multiple times every night to go to the bathroom is definitely a tell-tale sign.

Researchers believe that frequent nighttime urination is caused by a disruption in the circadian rhythm that regulates your sleep patterns. So, you’re in a vicious circle of waking up gasping for air and needing to urinate.

7. Morning headaches

Do you wake up in the morning with a headache on a regular basis? If so, you could be suffering from sleep apnea. Deep, painful, throbbing headaches can be caused from an increased amount of carbon dioxide in your bloodstream, due to a lack of oxygen. The excess carbon dioxide that is being trapped in the blood vessels around your head is causing you to wake up with a headache. They usually occur on both sides of the head, instead of just on one side. Make sure to mention this to Dr. Skrobanek at your next dental appointment.

8. Waking up with a sore throat or dry mouth

All of your snoring and struggles to breathe each night can wreak havoc on your respiratory tract and can cause you to wake up each morning with an extremely dry mouth or sore throat. The tendency to sleep with your mouth open is a habit of people who suffer from sleep apnea.

9. Irritable, anxious and depressed

Not getting enough sleep can make us irritable and anxious. A poor night’s sleep can release a hormone into your body called cortisol, which increases your stress levels and can cause depression. Yes, this is yet another sign that you could be suffering from sleep apnea, especially if you don’t have other medical conditions.

10. Diabetes

Studies show that nearly 50% of people who suffer from diabetes also suffer from sleep apnea. So, researchers believe there is link between sleep apnea and type-2 diabetes. Why is this so prevalent? This percentage is so high, because sleep apnea can cause severe disruptions in blood sugar levels. This is caused because when you get less sleep, your body processes less glucose. So, if you have sleep apnea, there is a good chance you have or will be diagnosed with diabetes. And, if you have diabetes, you have a higher chance of suffering from sleep apnea.

Dr. Skrobanek can help …

Believe it or not, dentists can be the first healthcare professional to see the signs of disease, which is one of the main reasons you should always make your twice a year dental appointments a high priority for you and your family.

Dr. Skrobanek at GPS Dental and his team of experts makes it one of their top priorities to help each of their patients have the best oral health possible. Oral health is one of your best defenses in keeping the rest of your body healthy.

Now what do I do?

If you’re suffering from any of these signs of sleep apnea, please alert Dr. Skrobanek. Having the proper information can help him get you proper treatment. Many people can be treated for sleep apnea by wearing custom mouthguards when they sleep. In fact, there are over 100 sleep appliances that are FDA approved to help this very common disorder and Dr. Skrobanek will determine which is best for you.

Related Information: Sleep Apnea Treatment in San Antonio

Custom mouthguards can help!

Custom mouthguards, or oral appliance therapy, is a very effective treatment for snoring and sleep apnea. The mouthguard is worn while you sleep and fits like an orthodontic retainer. These devices support your jaw to help you maintain an open upper airway while you sleep.

Related Article: Wake UP Gary!! Put in Your Mouthguard!!

Custom mouthguards or oral appliance therapy is covered by many insurance plans and the team at GPS Dental can help answer any questions you may have about your coverage.