We often ignore the tiny signals our bodies give us when something is wrong.
An ache here, a pain there.

It’s all just a part of getting older, right?
Not always.

At Rod Gleave, DMD, we help patients every day who visit our Salt Lake City, UT dental office complaining about pain and muscle tension in their jaw, shoulders, and neck.

They come to us for help because Dr. Gleave is extensively trained in diagnosing and treating TMJ disorder so our patients can finally get back to a more enjoyable, pain-free life.

Your Life Before TMJ Treatment

TMJ stands for temporomandibular joint. It’s the hinge below your ears that allows you to chew, speak, yawn, and all the rest.

What’s supposed to happen every single day is that your TMJ meets all the demands of eating and speaking without you having to give it a second thought.

That’s impossible if, for whatever reason, that joint is misaligned.

When it is, it means you have TMJ disorder, or TMD.

Here’s how you might be able to tell that you have TMD:

*Your mouth becomes locked if you try to open or close it all the way*

*Your jaw, head, neck, and shoulders are sore and tense*

*You have frequent painful headaches*

*You feel like you have earaches all the time*

*You hear popping in your jaw when you eat*

The list of symptoms is much longer, but you get the idea. When several symptoms are affecting you at once, all day long, it’s almost impossible to be present, comfortable, or capable of enjoying even life’s simplest of pleasures.

*Morning…*

Because of your TMJ problems, you wake up feeling groggy, as if you barely slept at all.

The pain in your jaw, head, and neck were too much for you to get comfortable, so you probably didn’t sleep much, but that’s normal these days.

Your stomach growls as you stand in the kitchen thinking about what you can have for breakfast that won’t aggravate your jaw pain.

Nothing appeals to you, but you grab a banana and force it down as best you can.
You head to work, gripping the steering wheel and clenching your jaw and teeth without meaning to, all because of the pain and stress you’re currently in, and the thought of dealing with the uncomfortable distraction because of it.

*Noon…*

Not surprisingly, your lunch break isn’t a brief, enjoyable escape that it’s supposed to be.
That’s because your jaw pain has made chewing food too painful. You have to sit at your desk eating your pudding because it’s the only thing that doesn’t hurt when you eat it, and you don’t want to subject yourself to the feast of takeout your co-workers are enjoying in the breakroom.

*…And Night*

Your drive home from work seems longer and more miserable because of all the built-up muscle tension in your neck, back, and shoulders.

Once you’re sitting down to dinner with your family, you have a brief moment of peace and satisfaction at the meal before you. You’re so hungry because your lunch was minimal, and you can’t wait to dig in!

But that moment is fleeting as soon as you realize you’re in too much pain to eat.
You head off to bed feeling hungry, miserable, and irritable, knowing you’ll wake up tomorrow and start the whole process over again.

Your Life After TMJ Treatment

After TMJ treatment with Dr. Gleave, you’ll begin to feel better and live better because your jaw will be relieved of the constant pressure that’s been making you miserable.

We can provide solutions for your symptoms, as well as protect your teeth and possibly even correct your painful jaw alignment issues.

Rather than being distracted by pain, tension, and other miserable symptoms, be present during this summer’s most enjoyable events with treatment in Salt Lake City, UT.

Call Rod Gleave, DMD today at (801) 590-7947 or fill out our online form to request an appointment.