Smyl Dentistry - 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.

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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

Patient, Kind, and Caring Staff

Comfortable Care From Start to Finish

Google Verified Patient Reviews

Saoirse Boyle
1 month ago
Really great patient care. I am someone who used to be nervous for the dentist but the team of people at Smyl are truly amazing and have made very visit pleasant and pain free. Dr Grant and Dr Matt demonstrated a deep commitment to resolving any issues, delivering a highly effective and thoughtful care plan.
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Sam Wilkins
1 month ago
I cannot rate my experience at Smyl highly enough. After being referred for wisdom teeth removal, Dr Mat was reassuring and friendly, bringing levity to the whole process. As a pretty nervous patient I felt very comfortable and everyone was happy to go at my pace. Shiva was also fantastic as the dental assistant and offered me fantastic support throughout the surgery. Thank you to everyone at the practice, you can really tell everyone cares about their patients!
More
I had been struggling with a very serious dental infection for nearly a year, which unfortunately caused damage to my jawbone and left me in constant pain. Despite visiting several dentists, no one was able to properly diagnose the issue. Thankfully, I finally found an experienced and highly knowledgeable doctor who is truly up to date with modern dentistry. In just one session, all of my dental problems were addressed, and for the first time in a long time, I finally felt relief from the pain. I am incredibly grateful for the care and professionalism I received. The entire team was professional, kind, compassionate, and welcoming throughout the whole process. I sincerely appreciate everything they did for me and would especially like to thank Dr. Yiu and dear Shiva Jan from the bottom of my heart. I truly wish them continued health, happiness, and success.
More
Lone Dorrell
2 months ago
Had a chipped tooth repaired recently, and Dr Yiu did a phenomenal job. So pleased with all the work this Dentistry office has done for me! Thank you for the expert care.
More
Saoirse Boyle
1 month ago
Really great patient care. I am someone who used to be nervous for the dentist but the team of people at Smyl are truly amazing and have made very visit pleasant and pain free. Dr Grant and Dr Matt demonstrated a deep commitment to resolving any issues, delivering a highly effective and thoughtful care plan.
More
Sam Wilkins
1 month ago
I cannot rate my experience at Smyl highly enough. After being referred for wisdom teeth removal, Dr Mat was reassuring and friendly, bringing levity to the whole process. As a pretty nervous patient I felt very comfortable and everyone was happy to go at my pace. Shiva was also fantastic as the dental assistant and offered me fantastic support throughout the surgery. Thank you to everyone at the practice, you can really tell everyone cares about their patients!
More
I had been struggling with a very serious dental infection for nearly a year, which unfortunately caused damage to my jawbone and left me in constant pain. Despite visiting several dentists, no one was able to properly diagnose the issue. Thankfully, I finally found an experienced and highly knowledgeable doctor who is truly up to date with modern dentistry. In just one session, all of my dental problems were addressed, and for the first time in a long time, I finally felt relief from the pain. I am incredibly grateful for the care and professionalism I received. The entire team was professional, kind, compassionate, and welcoming throughout the whole process. I sincerely appreciate everything they did for me and would especially like to thank Dr. Yiu and dear Shiva Jan from the bottom of my heart. I truly wish them continued health, happiness, and success.
More
Lone Dorrell
2 months ago
Had a chipped tooth repaired recently, and Dr Yiu did a phenomenal job. So pleased with all the work this Dentistry office has done for me! Thank you for the expert care.
More

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