If you’re one of the millions of people in the US who suffer from temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, you know just how frustrating managing the pain and symptoms can be. If you’re looking for a long-term solution to TMJ, you may wonder, “Can braces fix TMJ?”.
While braces are not usually used as a direct treatment for TMJ, they can be used to help address many aspects of jaw misalignment.
Driven by Dr. Monica Madan‘s leadership, the Beverly Hills Orthodontics team provides expert orthodontic care designed to give our patients the best smiles possible, and those with TMJ may benefit from our treatments.
Can Braces Fix TMJ?
TMJ disorders often involve issues with the jaw joint and surrounding muscles that control the jaw’s movement. These joints and muscles attach the jaw to the bottom of your skull, allowing the mouth to open and close. When these joints become misaligned, it manifests in a variety of symptoms, including:
- Jaw pain
- Difficulty chewing
- Clicking or popping sounds in the jaw
- Headaches
- Earaches
But can braces fix TMJ? Because TMJ usually occurs due to underlying causes such as jaw injury, arthritis, genetics, or joint structure, braces are not typically used as a direct treatment for TMJ.
However, they can provide effective treatment of many of the symptoms that those with TMJ deal with depending on contributing factors such as malocclusions (such as overbites, underbites, or crossbites), teeth grinding (bruxism), or other parafunctional habits.
| TMJ Contributing Factors That Braces Can Help Treat | |
| Malocclusion | Braces can help correct misaligned teeth and bites, potentially reducing stress on the jaw joints. |
| Bruxism | While braces may not directly treat bruxism, they can help improve bite alignment, indirectly reducing bruxism-related TMJ stress. |
| Parafunctional Habits | Braces can address dental alignment issues that may contribute to parafunctional habits, indirectly affecting TMJ health. |
| Improving Jaw Position | Braces are instrumental in optimizing the bite, ensuring proper alignment between upper and lower teeth. This balance alleviates jaw joint stress, consequently reducing the symptoms of TMJ issues. |
| Supporting Orthodontic Treatment | Braces often play a crucial role in addressing other associated orthodontic issues that coexist with TMJ, contributing to a more comprehensive and effective treatment approach. |
It’s important to understand that the exact cause of TMJ disorders will vary from person to person, and more often than not, multiple factors may contribute to symptoms. However, braces can help mitigate symptoms from the aforementioned contributing factors.
However, braces can help with teeth alignment and improve function, they are rarely the final answer. Instead, they can be used with other treatment methods to improve efficacy.
That’s why if you’re dealing with TMJ, you need to consult with your orthodontist to explore your options.
Beverly Hills Orthondtic Offers Solutions to Minimize TMJ Symptoms
Can braces fix TMJ? While they may not be able to treat the causes of TMJ alone, they can be used as part of an effective TMJ treatment strategy.
At Beverly Hills Orthodontics, we are committed to providing the best orthodontic treatments in the Los Angeles area. We offer various treatments, including combinations of traditional braces and Invisalign, headgear, extraction, and jaw surgery, often used in conjunction, to correct the underlying causes of TMJ.
Our mission is to ensure that you have a stunning smile and benefit from improved oral health so you don’t have to worry about nagging TMJ symptoms any longer.
Still wondering, “Can braces fix TMJ”? Call or text us at 310-785-0770 or visit our contact page to book an appointment.
NOTE: All blog content is intended to supplement—NOT REPLACE—the expertise of a healthcare professional and should not be construed in any way as medical advice. Consult a professional orthodontist directly, like the ones at BHO, to assess your individual needs and advise the best course of treatment.