Vason Family Dentistry of Buckhead Blog

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is one of the most complex joints in the body, allowing your jaw to move up, down, and side to side. It plays a critical role in talking, chewing, and even yawning. When this joint becomes strained or damaged, it can lead to temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD or TMJ disorder), which often causes pain, stiffness, and clicking sounds in the jaw. If you’ve been diagnosed with TMJ disorder—or suspect you may have it—you might wonder whether something as simple as chewing gum can make your symptoms worse. The short answer is yes, chewing gum can often aggravate TMJ problems.

If you know trendy people (or are a trendy person yourself), you’re probably familiar with the sound of a diffuser misting essential oil fragrances through the air. Of course, these ointments can also be applied topically to the skin, leading some to try and use them medicinally. This begs the question: are essential oils simply a fancy placebo, or can they actually relieve issues like chronic TMJ pain?

In short: sort of. If you experience frequent jaw discomfort, you might want to keep reading.

TMJ disorder often starts subtly—maybe a clicking jaw or occasional soreness when chewing. But if left untreated, those minor annoyances can turn into chronic problems that affect your daily life in many ways. If you’ve been putting off a trip to the dentist, here’s why it might be time to take your untreated TMJ disorder seriously.

Dental implants are incredible prosthetic devices that are surgically placed in the jawbone, where they naturally fuse with its structure through the process of osseointegration. This allows them to support lifelike replacement teeth that look exactly like the real things and can exert almost all of their chewing power. However, dental implants are not for everyone, so you’ll need to have a consultation with your dentist to be approved for the treatment. Here’s what will probably happen during this meeting.

Dental implants are the ideal form of tooth replacement because they precisely mimic natural pearly whites in feeling, appearance, and function. While these devices boast an impressive success rate of over 95% even after ten years have passed since they were placed, they are not invincible and can fail due to damage or infection. Here’s a brief overview of a few troubling signs that say your implant may be about to fail so you can have the issue promptly addressed by a qualified dentist.

A dazzling smile is often seen as a hallmark of celebrity style. While some stars are born with perfect teeth, others have turned to dental implants to achieve their picture-perfect grins. Continue reading to take a look at some notable celebrities who have enhanced their smiles via the gold standard of tooth replacement.

Dental implants are the next best thing to natural teeth because they look, work, and feel just like the real thing. While implants are incredibly durable and easy to take care of, they are not invincible and can be damaged due to infection or oral trauma, including bruxism. Here’s a brief guide to how teeth grinding can damage your dental implants as well as how you can reduce your risk of implant failure.

Most patients with crooked teeth would enjoy SureSmile, as it’s meant to fix misaligned smiles! That said, what if you happen to have a teeth-grinding habit? Would you still qualify for the aligner treatment, or would you need to give up and choose something else? Your local Atlanta dentist is here to address those very questions for you. So, read on to learn whether you can get SureSmile if you grind your teeth a lot.

These days, more and more patients are opting to receive orthodontics to straighten their smiles and vastly boost their quality of life – these sorts of treatments do far more than make your teeth more symmetrical and aesthetically pleasing! However, many patients who desire these results are often unsure which treatment suits their needs: traditional metal braces or clear aligner options like SureSmile? Here’s a closer look at these two options and some of their unique benefits.

SureSmile aligners are designed to fit snugly over your teeth, gradually guiding them into alignment. But what happens if your tray doesn’t fit properly? Whether it feels too tight, doesn’t fully snap in, or feels uncomfortable, there are a few simple steps you can take to troubleshoot. Read on to see what you need to do to get your treatment back on track.