Have TMJ? Why You Should Choose Implants Over Dentures

Temporomandibular joint disorder can be a painful and difficult condition to experience. It can make simple tasks like eating and talking hard, and cause severe pain and headaches, too. It's important to avoid anything that can exacerbate your condition, so if you're missing some teeth and need replacements, read this guide to learn why dental implants are a better choice than dentures.

How TMJ Causes Problems

Temporomandibular joint disorder can be caused by many different things. Some people are born with TMJ due to defects in the development of the jaw, while others will only develop TMJ following a severe injury like being in a car crash. In either case, temporomandibular joint disorder means that the jaw joints don't function properly. In some cases, all this causes is pain, but for many patients, it can also cause clicking or popping in the joint, and sometimes even locking of the joint, preventing you from opening or closing your mouth.

The Problem with Dentures

Dentures may seem like a good idea to you to replace your missing teeth, since you wouldn't have to undergo a long dental procedure to get them. However, dentures can potentially make TMJ worse.

Dentures aren't designed to specifically match the size and shape of a user's jaw. Unfortunately, this means that wearing dentures could force your jaw to be kept further open than it would normally be if your mouth were at rest. This can add additional stress to your jaw joints, increasing the likelihood of pain and locking, popping, or clicking of the joint.

In addition, if you experience these problems, taking your dentures out at night could be difficult, as you'd need to open your mouth even wider to provide the needed clearance to remove the dentures.

Why Implants are a Good Choice

Dental implants take a little more time to install than getting set up for a pair of dentures do, but they're worth it. Dental implants are custom designed and fitted to each patient to create a seamless transition between your remaining teeth and the implants. No additional stress or pressure will be put on your jaw, because your mouth will be able to rest in the same position it did before getting implants.

In addition, implants don't have to be removed at night, and they're designed to be a permanent replacement for missing teeth. Once you've gone through the installation process, you'll never need to worry about them again.

Needing dental work with temporomandibular joint disorder can make you feel stressed out, but rest assured that dental implants are a safe and ideal way of replacing your missing teeth. In order to avoid more pain and stiffness in your jaw joint, choose implants instead of dentures. Places like Airport Road Dental Associates can help you find the best treatment for your situation.