We all know how important it is to keep our teeth healthy, but what many people don’t realize is that one of the risks is losing one or more teeth and not them through dental implants or others restorations as soon as possible to develop temporomandibular joint disease (TMJ) that causes pain in the jaw, neck, or facial muscles.

Other common symptoms include headaches, cracking or popping noises when opening the mouth, and pain in the ears.

The jaw joints allow the jaw to open and close for eating, speaking, and many other functions.

What are dental implants? 

Dental implants are an innovative way to replace lost teeth.

It is a metal pin that is attached to the jawbone after a tooth is lost or extracted. During a short healing period, the bone fuses with the metal implant, after which a crown is placed to replace the missing tooth. Implants can replace a single tooth or the entire oral cavity.

What is TMD?

Temporomandibular Disorder is commonly referred to as temporomandibular joint because it is a problem with the temporomandibular joint. This joint is the hinge that attaches the jaw to the skull and allows the mouth to open and close.

Diseases of this joint can cause:

1)Pain and aches in the teeth and/or jaw

2)Headache

3)Earache

4)Clicking, clicking, or locking of the jaw

5)Teeth grinding, Dizziness

6)Numbness in fingers

In addition to affecting quality of life, some of these symptoms, including teeth grinding, can also lead to tooth decay and gum disease.

Dental implants are a potential treatment and even a preventive measure for TTM.

One reason missing teeth increase the risk of TMJ is a possible misalignment of the jaw. this is not the only reason people develop this disease. Stress, unconscious teeth grinding and hereditary factors are other common causes.

A good way to understand TMJ disorders is if you go for a walk on one leg and high heels (or Prince shoes) on the other.

Your body will ache in many places because it hasn’t been properly aligned all day. Just as your feet need to be flat and even, your chin needs to be the same. Missing teeth don’t just hurt when you bite.

Teeth correction with dental implants

The longer you live without missing teeth, the more likely it is that your jaw is misaligned. The pain is mild to severe, a typical result when the jaw and surrounding muscles don’t work together. Missing teeth put extra pressure on the facial muscles, causing the jaw to open and close improperly.

What to Expect From Dental Implants

If You choose for the implant, your oral surgeon drills a titanium rod into your jaw to replace the roots of your missing tooth. It is one of the most important factors in increasing jaw stability and improving TMJ symptoms.

The ridge eventually fuses with existing roots in a process called osseointegration. It lasts about three months. In the meantime, you can wear a temporary denture or crown to hide the tooth loss.

After the procedure, you will have a series of follow-up visits with your oral surgeon to check your healing status. Once healing is complete, it’s time to put in a new replacement tooth.

At this point you should experience maximum pain relief from jaw misalignment.