Jaw pain and TMD treatment in Hammersmith, West London

Symptoms & causes

TMD can manifest through various symptoms, including:

• Persistent jaw pain or tenderness
• Clicking or popping noises when the mouth opens or closes
• Difficulty chewing or speaking
• Facial pain
• Frequent headaches or earaches
• Locking of the jaw

These signs are easy to put down to something else - a bad night’s sleep, stress, or an ear problem - so they often go unchecked for years. If any of them sound familiar, a consultation at our Hammersmith practice can help pinpoint the cause and the right treatment.

TMD can arise from multiple factors, such as:

• Teeth grinding (bruxism)
• Jaw misalignment or injury
• Arthritis in the jaw joint
• Stress-induced tension
• Poor posture affecting the jaw muscles

Grinding is the most common cause, and most people who do it have no idea, because it happens while they sleep. We look for the underlying cause rather than just treating the symptom, so your treatment is built around what is actually driving the problem.

How we treat TMD

We start by finding the cause rather than just managing the symptom. Your first appointment involves examining how your jaw moves, checking for signs of grinding on your teeth, going through your dental and medical history, and taking X-rays where they will tell us something useful.

What we recommend depends entirely on what we find. It might include:

• A custom-made night guard or splint, to protect your teeth and take pressure off the joint
• Orthodontic treatment, where an uneven bite is contributing to the problem
• Jaw exercises to release tension and improve movement
• Practical advice on managing clenching, including the stress that often drives it
• Referral to a specialist, if your case needs care beyond what we provide here

Most people improve considerably with conservative treatment. We will always start with the least invasive option that is likely to work.