3737 E State Route 36, Decatur, IL, 62521
Stop Letting TMJ Pain Control Your Day
The temporomandibular joints sit just in front of each ear and connect your lower jaw to your skull. They are the most heavily used joints in the body, moving thousands of times a day for chewing, speaking, swallowing and yawning. Each one contains a small cartilage disc that cushions the joint and allows it to glide smoothly.
A TMJ disorder develops when something disrupts that system. The disc can slip out of position, producing the clicking or popping many patients notice. The muscles that control the jaw can become chronically overworked and tender. An uneven bite can force the joint to seat in a strained position every time you close. Grinding and clenching, often during sleep and often unnoticed, load the joint and its surrounding muscles for hours at a time.
Because the source varies, effective TMJ treatment starts with identifying what is actually driving your symptoms rather than applying the same appliance to every patient who reports jaw pain.
Schedule a TMJ Evaluation
Our TMJ Treatment Options
Night Guards
A custom fabricated appliance worn during sleep that separates the teeth, absorbs grinding forces and allows overworked jaw muscles to rest. Store bought versions do not fit precisely enough to reposition the jaw correctly and can worsen symptoms in some patients.
Learn More
Occlusal Adjustment
Precise refinement of how your teeth contact each other, eliminating high spots and interferences that force the jaw into a strained closing position. Small adjustments in the right places often produce disproportionate relief.
Learn More
Why Patients Choose Us for TMJ Care
Diagnosis before appliances
We identify what is driving your symptoms rather than fitting the same guard to everyone who mentions jaw pain.
Panorex imaging in house
Both jaw joints, the full arch and surrounding bone are captured in one view without a referral elsewhere for basic imaging.
Conservative first
Treatment begins with reversible measures. Irreversible changes to the bite are not a starting point.
Two dentists on complex cases
Bite related problems benefit from a second clinical perspective, available within the practice.
Straightforward about limits
When symptoms point toward inflammatory joint disease or a cause outside dentistry, we say so and coordinate rather than treating indefinitely without progress.
Early appointments
Opening at 7:00 am Monday through Thursday makes evaluation and follow up visits easier to schedule around work.
Symptoms That Point Toward a Jaw Joint Disorder
TMJ disorders are frequently missed because the symptoms show up in places patients do not associate with their teeth. Many people spend months pursuing headache or ear treatment before the jaw is examined.
- Jaw pain or tenderness, often worse in the morning or after chewing
- Clicking, popping or grating when opening and closing
- Headaches, particularly in the temples, and frequently present on waking
- Ear symptoms including aching, fullness or ringing with no infection present
- Facial muscle soreness across the cheeks, temples and along the jawline
- Limited opening or a jaw that catches, locks or feels like it is going to
- Neck and shoulder tension connected to sustained muscle overactivity
- Worn, flattened or chipped teeth from grinding, often visible before you feel anything
- Tooth sensitivity or aching with no decay to explain it
Jaw Pain That Has Lasted Months Rarely Resolves on Its Own
Ongoing grinding and joint strain cause cumulative damage to teeth and joint structures alike, and treatment is considerably simpler earlier than later. Call 217-423-2400 or request an appointment for a TMJ evaluation.
Request Appointment