If you’re experiencing jaw pain, frequent headaches, or clicking sounds when you open your mouth, you may have a TMJ disorder. Dr. Jake Fisher of Fisher Dental in Omaha specializes in TMJ treatment, using advanced techniques and technology to diagnose and treat this complex condition.
What is TMJ/TMD?
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) connects your jawbone to your skull. It works like a sliding hinge, letting you talk, chew, and yawn. When this joint or the surrounding muscles develop problems, it’s called TMJ disorder or TMD. TMJ disorders can cause:- Pain in your jaw, face, or ear area
- Clicking or popping sounds when opening your mouth
- Jaw locking when opened or closed
- Difficulty chewing or painful chewing
- Headaches, especially near your temples
- Face, neck, or shoulder pain
- Changes in how your upper and lower teeth fit together
BiteFX™ Consultation Technology
At Fisher Dental, we use BiteFX™ Consultation Technology to better diagnose and explain TMJ disorders. This advanced digital animation tool helps us:
- Show you exactly how your bite works
- Identify problems with your jaw movement
- Demonstrate how treatment will improve your condition
- Create a personalized treatment plan
BiteFX™ makes it easier to understand what’s happening with your jaw. Using detailed 3D animations, Dr. Fisher can show you how your bite affects your TMJ and how treatment will help relieve your symptoms.
Stages of TMJ/TMD
Early Stage
In the early stage of TMJ disorder, you may experience occasional discomfort in your jaw that comes and goes. Many patients notice clicking or popping sounds when they open their mouth, but these sounds aren’t usually accompanied by pain. You might also feel temporary stiffness in your jaw, especially in the morning or after eating chewy foods. These symptoms are often mild enough that many people don’t seek treatment, but this is actually the ideal time to address TMJ issues before they progress.
Moderate Stage
As TMJ disorder advances to the moderate stage, jaw pain becomes more frequent and may last longer. You’ll likely notice muscle tightness around your jaw that can extend to your face and neck. Chewing certain foods, especially those that are hard or chewy, becomes difficult or painful. Your jaw movement may become noticeably limited, making it harder to open wide or move your jaw from side to side. Headaches, particularly around the temples, become regular occurrences as your muscles strain to compensate for the joint dysfunction.
Advanced Stage
In the advanced stage of TMJ disorder, pain becomes chronic and persistent, significantly impacting your daily life. Your jaw movement becomes severely limited, with frequent episodes where the jaw might lock in an open or closed position. The joint itself begins to show signs of degeneration that can be seen on imaging tests. Pain extends beyond the jaw, affecting your face, neck, and shoulders on a consistent basis. Many patients also experience related issues like ear pain, ringing in the ears, and dizziness. At this stage, the condition can seriously affect your ability to eat, speak, and sleep comfortably.
TMJ Treatment Options
Emface for TMJ Relief & Facial Wellness
We’re excited to now offer Emface, a groundbreaking treatment that goes beyond aesthetics to deliver real functional benefits. Recently FDA-cleared, Emface provides relief for symptoms associated with TMJ dysfunction, muscle spasms, and facial pain. It works by re-educating facial muscles, improving blood flow, and supporting better range of motion in the jaw.
Whether you struggle with jaw pain, tension headaches, or discomfort from TMJ, Emface offers a non-invasive solution that helps you feel better and look better. By addressing both function and wellness, this treatment enhances quality of life while providing natural improvements to facial appearance.
Adding Emface allows us to expand our care and provide patients with a complete facial wellness solution—all in the comfort of our dental office.
Benefits of Emface:
• Relief from TMJ-related pain and muscle tension
• Improved muscle balance and facial function
• Non-invasive, no downtime treatment
• Enhances overall facial wellness and appearance
BiteFX™-Guided Treatment – Using the advanced BiteFX™ technology, Dr. Fisher can create highly customized treatment plans based on a detailed analysis of your specific jaw movements and bite patterns. This digital system captures the unique dynamics of your TMJ function, allowing for precise diagnosis of where problems occur during jaw movement. The visual data helps Dr. Fisher identify issues like disc displacement, muscle hyperactivity, or structural abnormalities that might be missed with traditional methods. Treatment plans guided by BiteFX™ have higher success rates because they address the exact mechanical issues causing your TMJ disorder rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.
Oral Appliance Therapy – Oral appliances are custom-made devices designed specifically for your mouth to address your unique TMJ issues. These appliances work by gently repositioning your jaw to reduce pressure on the joint and prevent harmful muscle activity. Dr. Fisher offers several types of oral appliances, including stabilization splints that prevent teeth grinding and clenching, and mandibular advancement devices that can improve both TMJ symptoms and sleep breathing problems. Each appliance is precisely crafted using digital impressions for maximum comfort and effectiveness.
Bite Adjustment – Bite adjustment, also known as occlusal equilibration, involves carefully reshaping the biting surfaces of your teeth to create a more balanced and harmonious bite. Dr. Fisher makes minor adjustments to remove interferences that force your jaw into unnatural positions. This procedure is performed with extreme precision, removing just fractions of a millimeter of tooth enamel where needed. Digital bite analysis helps identify exactly which areas require modification. By eliminating points of excessive pressure and ensuring your teeth come together properly, bite adjustment reduces strain on your TMJ and relaxes overworked muscles. The procedure is conservative and preserves as much natural tooth structure as possible while significantly improving jaw function.
Restorative Dental Work – When TMJ disorder is related to dental issues like missing teeth, worn-down teeth, or an uneven bite, restorative work becomes an essential part of treatment. Dr. Fisher may recommend crowns, bridges, or dental implants to replace missing teeth and prevent shifting that can affect jaw alignment. For teeth damaged by grinding or clenching, dental bonding or crowns can restore proper height and shape, reestablishing correct bite dimensions. In some cases, selective orthodontic treatment may be recommended to address misalignments contributing to TMJ issues. These restorative approaches not only improve the appearance of your smile but also create the proper structural support your jaw needs to function correctly, addressing the root cause of many TMJ disorders.
Benefits of TMJ Treatment
Treating your TMJ disorder can dramatically improve your quality of life:
- Relief from chronic jaw, face, and head pain
- Improved jaw function for comfortable eating and speaking
- Prevention of further joint damage
- Reduced muscle tension in the face, neck, and shoulders
- Better sleep without jaw clenching or grinding
- Freedom from chronic headaches
- Improved overall quality of life
TMJ disorders affect more than just your jaw—they can impact your entire wellbeing. When left untreated, TMJ problems often worsen over time, leading to chronic pain conditions that affect your ability to work, socialize, and enjoy daily activities. By resolving TMJ issues, you may also prevent future dental problems like worn or cracked teeth, receding gums, and bone loss that can result from chronic grinding and clenching. The benefits extend beyond physical relief. Many patients experience renewed confidence and social engagement once they’re free from the limitations and discomfort of TMJ disorder.
Why Choose Dr. Fisher for TMJ Treatment?
Dr. Jake Fisher has completed advanced training in diagnosing and treating TMJ disorders. He understands the complex nature of these conditions and uses the latest technology, including BiteFX™ Consultation Technology, to provide effective, personalized treatment plans.
His approach focuses on finding the underlying cause of your TMJ disorder rather than simply treating the symptoms, ensuring long-lasting relief and improved jaw function.
Request an Appointment
Don’t let TMJ pain affect your quality of life. Contact Fisher Dental today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Jake Fisher, TMJ specialist in Omaha, NE. You can reach our office by calling 402-526-5091 or by using our online appointment request form. Your journey to a pain-free smile starts here – take the first step toward TMJ relief by contacting us today. Dr. Fisher and our entire team look forward to helping you achieve comfort and improved jaw function with our specialized TMJ treatment options.