A Little Merrier (NAPSA)—The holidays can be a wonderful time but the symptoms of chronic facial pain can leave you feeling like Scrooge. More than 15 percent of American adults suffer from chronic symptoms such as headaches, tenderness of the jaw, clicking or popping noises when opening the mouth or even neck pain and backpain. TMD disorder need not add to the stress often associated with the holidays. The problem is a bad bite. Two joints and several jaw muscles makeit possible to open andclose the mouth. They work together when you chew, speak or swallow. These structures include muscles and ligaments, as well as the jaw bone and the mandible. Any problems that prevent the muscles from relaxing may result in a painful TMD. TMD symptomsinclude: * Headaches Pain in the neck, shoulder, back, or face Difficulty opening your mouth completely * Clicking, grinning, grating or popping when you chew The sensation that your bite is out of alignment. Many dentists and physicians may have trouble diagnosing this disorder, but specially trained neuromuscular dentists know how to treat it. To locate a neuromuscular dentist near you visit www.leadingdentists.com.
