TMJ

TMJ disorders cause considerable pain and discomfort to our patients, which is why our dentist Dr. Louis Cadena provides treatment for TMJ. The TMJ, or temporomandibular joint, is located between the temporal bone in the skull and the lower part of the jaw, called the mandible. It is the joint responsible for letting patients chew and speak, and open or close their mouth. If a patient struggles from a TMJ disorder, or TMD, it can cause pain and discomfort in a variety of ways.

 

Symptoms of TMJ include pain when opening the mouth, headaches or ear pain, teeth grinding and clenching at night, hearing popping or clicking sounds when opening the mouth, or having a jaw that gets stuck while the mouth is opened or closed.

 

Treatments for TMJ, such as medications for the pain, night guards, and oral appliances, help treat the side effects and provide relief for the jaw. Surgery is also available in more severe cases.

By calling Cadena Dentistry at 830-775-3322 today, you have the opportunity to start experiencing relief from your TMJ disorder.

Protective Mouth Guards

Protective mouth guards are offered here in our Cadena Dentistry dental practice as a way to protect our patients from damage to their teeth. Athletes and children are in special need of mouth guards while playing contact sports, because this puts them at great risk for dental damage. This can be very costly and frustrating when they are having to repair their teeth. Sports like football, baseball, basketball, lacrosse, hockey and soccer all require the players to wear protective mouth guards.

At Cadena Dentistry, we encourage patients to get protective mouth guards for the following benefits:

• They are custom-made, so they fit comfortably.
• Are long-lasting.
• Prevent chipped and broken teeth.
• Prevent permanent nerve damage.
• Prevent loss of teeth.
• Save money from expensive dental procedures.

While there are mouth guards sold in sports supply stores, they are factory made and don’t fit most people. With protective mouth guards made by Dr. Louis Cadena, they are custom made based on impressions of the patient’s teeth, so they fit perfectly and are meant to last. Visit us in Del Rio, TX to get your custom mouth guards.

Night Guards

If you find yourself waking up in the morning with headache, teeth or jaw pain, it might be due to a condition called bruxism. Otherwise known as teeth grinding, bruxism is caused by involuntary grinding of your teeth at night while you sleep. Since you’re sleeping, it isn’t possible to prevent it, except by wearing night guards provided by us here at Cadena Dentistry.

 

Night guards are custom made to fit around the teeth, so they don’t get in the way of proper sleep. The night guard keeps the top and bottom teeth separated by the barrier, in order to prevent clenching and grinding of our patient’s teeth. It is not only an excellent way to prevent the pain patients feel when waking up, but to protect the enamel and structure of their teeth. Consistent grinding starts to wear away at the enamel, weakening the tooth structure.

 

Teeth grinding can also be very noisy and prevent their spouse from sleeping properly. Night guards can take a little getting used to, but before too long, our patients hardly notice them. If you have noticed that you are grinding your teeth, visit Dr. Louis Cadena in Del Rio, TX to discuss the benefits of night guards.