Palm beach cosmetic dentist blog » TMJ

Why Does My Jaw Pop?

admin — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:51:16 +0000

I was recently asked advice from a person regarding her Jaw joint. It seems that she was aware of a popping and clicking when she opened and closed by didn’t think much of it. Over time it progressively increased and she hoped it would resolve on its own until one day she could no longer open her mouth. Overnight she went from clicking to feeling as if her jaw was now locked. Her situation is common. What is happening is the cartilage in her jaw joint (TMJ)was no longer sliding properly until eventually the cartilage slid out of position becoming trapped. Once trapped it is much more difficult to treat the problem. As with any other medical condition it is always better to treat it in an early stage. Waiting only makes the situation worse. If this problem is something you are experiencing it is important to bring this to the attention of a dentist. Not all dentists are trained to treat Jaw joint problems so consult with a specialist in this area. In our office our doctors are trained to identify and treat jaw joint problems early and if necessary provide a referral to a specialist before the situation worsens.

Dr. Lerner Lectures in London, England

admin — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:37:36 +0000

Dr. Lerner recently lectured in London, England for the World Aesthetic Congress. In attendance were more than 400 hundred dental professionals including many international speakers and prominent dentists from around the world. His lecture topics included case presentations on creating optimal esthetics and function with a variety of restorative materials and techniques. He shared his experience illustrating skill in utilizing special techniques to ensure a predictable, beautiful outcome with porcelain veneers while achieving a comfortable stable bite. Highlighted were the steps necessary in proper planning and communication to achieve optimal results. His lecture was well received by those in attendance.

Dr. Lerner Lectures in California

admin — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 12:58:30 +0000

Dr. Lerner was recently invited to lecture in California sponsored by MicroDental Laboratories to a prominent group of dentists on the topic of occlusion and creating optimal esthetics with provisional restorations as the blue print to predictable results. He shared his experience illustrating skill in utilizing special techniques to ensure a predictable, beautiful outcome with porcelain veneers while achieving a comfortable stable bite. Highlighted were the steps necessary in proper planning and communication with the dental laboratory technician necessary to achieve optimal results. He received rave reviews by those in attendance.

“I don’t grind my teeth”

admin — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 13:34:04 +0000

“I don’t grind my teeth” As a dentist do you know how often we hear this statement? Research suggests that 100% of people grind their teeth sometime in their lives. Most of us regularly grind our teeth at night during sleep, called Bruxism. Only a small population does this rarely. For many, Bruxism is connected with stress in our lives and expressed as night time grinding of teeth during sleep. For others Bruxism is like a program in our Central Nervous System that runs every night. The problem is this occurs during sleep so most people are unaware that they possess this habit. Unfortunately for your teeth Bruxism is very destructive. Minimal tooth wear occurs from chewing and eating over the course of a life time but Bruxism can cause significant tooth wear in a short time destroying your teeth and breaking any existing dental work. The most apparent place for you to see wear from Brusism is on your front teeth. If your teeth are getting shorter and becoming almost see through or constantly chipping along the edges you are grinding your teeth. This can lead to other problems such as TMJ or occlusion problems. Fortunately there are preventative and restorative options to correct wear from Bruxism and give you a beautiful smile.

Patient to restore worn teeth

admin — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 16:33:58 +0000

Today we consulted a new patient from Illinois on how to restore his severely worn teeth. The patient has a history of grinding his teeth (Bruxism). He has never worn a night guard or other orthotic devise to protect his teeth from his destructive grinding. Many times patients with significant grinding habits can also affect the health of the TMJ. Fortunately we presented a number of solutions including new crowns and bridges to restore his teeth and a night guard to protect and provide a new beautiful youthful smile. It is fulfilling realizing how much dentistry has to offer to improve a person’s health, quickly and comfortably.