Excruciating discomfort in the jaw joint area when eating, stuck or locked jaws in the open or closed mouth positions or difficulties opening your mouth wide indicate that you suffer from a temporomandibular joint disorder. A dental checkup can detect TMJ Bronx disorders. A visit to our Advanced Dental Care of Riverdale, Bronx clinic will awaken your senses of taking a temporomandibular joint disorder diagnosis because we never fail to detect them when performing dental checkups. If you are considering having one, here are some ways how it is diagnosed.
Physical Examination and History Results
TMJ is mostly diagnosed based on the physical examination and history results. Here Our dentist will inquire about your discomfort, including its location, frequency, causes, how it worsens or improves, and whether it only affects that part or other parts of your body. The dentist also checks your face, head, neck, and jaw for any clicking soreness, popping, or trouble moving the jaw. The results of the physical examination support a further diagnosis. When the history and physical examination results are unclear, imaging can help diagnose TMJ disorders.
Imaging Techniques
Multiple imaging techniques are also available and used to learn more about suspected TMJ disease, albeit rarely employed. Our dentists may suggest imaging diagnoses such as computed tomography, x-ray, or magnetic resonance imaging. Trans maxillary, besides trans cranial plain radiography/panoramic radiography, is used for the initial diagnosis. A comprehensive picture of your teeth, jawbone, and TMJs are provided via panoramic dental X-rays, which help determine any severe degenerative articular disease, dislocations, and acute fractures.
Computed Tomography
Computed tomography is preferable to conventional radiography in evaluating delicate bony morphology. During cone beam computed tomography scans, your sinuses, teeth, facial bones, and jaws are photographed in thousands. A detailed 3-D image is created by stitching together these images then the dental CT scans provide a more thorough understanding of your facial structure.
Magnetic Resonance
The diagnostic gadget is utilized to observe the nearby tender tissue inside the jaw joints. The captured images help display the disk’s location, inflammation, and any potential jaw locking, determining whether the TMJ disc is healthy and working appropriately.
Diagnostic injections
Diagnostic injections can be used as well to diagnose TMJ disorder. The source of jaw pain is determined by administering local anesthetic injections at trigger points involving the mastication muscles. Only dentists with high experience anesthetizing the auriculotemporal nerve area should do this surgery. When done properly, the likelihood of complications is low. After the proper nerve blockade, insistent discomfort should prompt the clinician to reexamine TMJ disorder symptoms and explore a different diagnosis.
If you intend to undergo a TMJ disorder diagnosis, above are the guidelines to help you. If not, a specialist dental practitioner at Advanced Dental Care of Riverdale is available for guidance and consultation at your convenience. Hesitate not to make an appointment with us immediately for a thorough discussion of the TMJ issue diagnosis alternatives that are accessible to you.
