Category Archives: TMJ

Do You Have a Habit that Affects Your Smile? | Palm Harbor Dentist

We all do the very best we can to preserve our smile, but there are some habits we have that may be doing some damage to it. And since we are close to the new year, what better time to re-evaluate some habits we may not want to carry over into 2023. If you find that you are a culprit to one of them, consider adding it to your resolution list:

Chewing ice. After you’ve finished a drink, you might have the habit of chewing the ice that is leftover. It’s a common occurrence for a lot of us and we don’t even think twice about it. But the cold and hardness of the ice cubes can actually do damage to your teeth by chipping or cracking them.

Using your teeth as a tool. Let’s face it – we all are guilty of this one at some point of another. Using your teeth to crack open nuts, or tear through plastic can be incredibly detrimental. Just like chewing ice, using your teeth as a tool may cause damage to your teeth. Use the appropriate tool for the job.

Drinking carbonated beverages. While soda is known to be incredibly sugary, this includes sugar-free sodas as well. Sodas are acidic and incredibly harmful to teeth.

Biting your nails. This one is one of the more common bad habits, but biting your nails is not only damaging to your nail beds, but also your teeth.

Grinding your teeth. The official term for this habit is bruxism and it commonly occurs at night. Grinding your teeth can wear them down. While this is difficult to control, a dentist may give you a night guard to help you get it under control. Destressing also helps.

If you’re interested in learning more about poor dental habits, contact Dr. Lieberman at 727-785-8017 to schedule a consultation today. Or visit www.dentist-lieberman.com for additional information.

Dr. Larry Lieberman proudly accepts patients from Palm Harbor and all surrounding areas.

Signs and Symptoms: TMJ Edition | Palm Harbor Dentist

No one wants to experience jaw pain, but for most patients, it can’t be helped. Here is where it gets tricky – did you know that TMJ, or Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome, is one of the most misdiagnosed syndromes in the world? Oftentimes, TMJ is overlooked, as jaw related issues can be linked to a multitude of different health issues. So, how do you know when it’s not just a chance occurrence or something that is becoming an issue, we need to concern our dental professional with? Here are some signs and symptoms in which point to TMJ:

Pain in the jaw, especially around the joint
Popping or clicking of the jaw
Ear pain
Ringing or popping sounds in the ears
Headaches
Blurred vision
Tight or sore jaw or neck muscles
Shoulder pain
Locking or dislocation of the jaw

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms above, contact Dr. Lieberman immediately, as he can appropriately diagnose the root of your jaw and facial pain. Thankfully, there are lots of ways to treat this condition and get you back to sleeping peacefully. Below are some of DIY tips you can do on your own to relieve some of the pain you’re experiencing:

Facial exercises such as stretching, relaxing, or massaging the muscles found around the jaw.
Avoiding actions such as yawning, singing, or excessive chewing.
Learning new stress relieving techniques including but not limited to meditation, breathing exercises, or personal stress relievers.
Formulating an exercise plan in order to increase our pain tolerance.

If you’re interested in learning more about TMJ pain, contact Dr. Lieberman at 727-785-8017 to schedule a consultation today. Or visit www.dentist-lieberman.com for additional information.

Dr. Larry Lieberman proudly accepts patients from Palm Harbor and all surrounding areas.

The ABCs of TMJ Disorder | Palm Harbor Dentist

No one wants to be in pain, but pain is par for the course at times in our lives. But of all the pain we can feel, tooth pain is the worst. Not only does it hurt to eat or speak, but the throbbing pain in our head that occurs can drive someone batty. Thankfully, there are plenty of remedies for these pains, and some don’t entail a visit to the dentist.

Individuals suffering from Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, or TMJ, experience many symptoms such as discomfort and pain in areas surrounding the face or jaw. What are the causes of TMJ disorder? Bruxism, or teeth grinding and clenching, gum chewing or nail biting, malocclusion, and previous jaw fractures or injury.

What do you feel when you have TMJ disorder? Some of the symptoms of TMJ are headache, ear pain, dizziness and ringing in the ear.

How do we alleviate this pain in our jaw? Well, there are a series of remedies recommended in order to alleviate tension found in those areas. Some of these include:

Facial exercises such as stretching, relaxing, or massaging the muscles found around the jaw.
Evading actions such as yawning, singing, or excessive chewing.
Learning new stress relieving techniques including but not limited to meditation, breathing exercises, or personal stress relievers.
Formulating an exercise plan in order to increase our pain tolerance.

Dr. Lieberman highly encourages patients suffering from TMJ to follow these few techniques in order to alleviate TMJ pain and symptoms. If symptoms worsen, you are encouraged to schedule an appointment immediately with our friendly staff.

If you’re interested in learning more about TMJ disorder, contact Dr. Lieberman at 727-785-8017 to schedule a consultation today. Or visit www.dentist-lieberman.com for additional information.

Dr. Larry Lieberman proudly accepts patients from Palm Harbor and all surrounding areas.

Celebrating National Toothache Day | Palm Harbor Dentist

It’s true – there is a national day to celebrate the toothache. Something no one hopes to experience in their lives, the toothache is one of those pains that can drive someone insane. Not only because a toothache is painful, but it is a constant pain that can be caused by a number of issues.

If you find that you are developing tooth sensitivity to hot or cold, it may be brought on by exposed dentin from thin enamel or receding gums. A cracked tooth is a different type of pain, rooted deep in your jaw or gums when you bite down. The pressure of biting can cause the cracked tooth to spread, putting pressure on nerves, and causing an intense pain localized to a single tooth.

Throbbing pain on one side of the mouth may be caused by an infection below the tooth, often related to periodontal disease or dental abscess. If left untreated, the infection may spread to the bone, jeopardizing one or more teeth, and potentially causing loss of gum tissue.

There are even some mouth pains that have nothing to do with your teeth. Sinus issues and problems of the TMJ (jaw/skull joint) can both cause pain in the mouth and face but aren’t necessarily problems your dentist can solve.

So, if you find that you have woken up with a toothache, best bet is to schedule a dental appointment as soon as possible to avoid further issues down the road. In the meantime, there are loads of over-the-counter products that can help soothe your pain. Soaking a cotton ball in vanilla extract, apple cider vinegar, tea tree or oregano oil, or baking soda with some water will soak into your sore tooth for optimal relief.

If you’re interested in learning more about toothaches, contact Dr. Lieberman at 727-785-8017 to schedule a consultation today. Or visit www.dentist-lieberman.com for additional information.

Dr. Larry Lieberman proudly accepts patients from Palm Harbor and all surrounding areas.

Getting Botox Injections at the Dentist? | Palm Harbor Dentist

No one likes getting older, but it’s bound to happen, no matter how hard you try to stop it. Just a few decades ago, dental professionals needed to be convinced to do cosmetic procedures, like whitening and orthodontics. The main focus of dentists back then was simply to ensure that their patient’s teeth were healthy and that nothing was wrong with them. How teeth looked wasn’t a focus – it was all about function.

These days, more and more dental professionals have realized that function and esthetic go hand-in-hand in achieving optimal health. Our faces, mainly our jaws, have muscles prone to suffering from constant muscle spasms. Conditions such as bruxism, TMJ and others involving facial pain have been proven to benefit from Botox injections, though not all dentists are aware of this.

Safe for treating conditions involving facial pain, Botox injections may also prove useful in many other dental cases. In orthodontics, the teeth of patients with strong mentalis muscles are prone reverting back to pre-therapy positions. Botox can help with this by making the muscles weaker to allow more normal movement and prevent the undoing of the effects of the current treatment. Patients who are still getting used to dentures can benefit from Botox, especially if they suffer from strong and consistent muscle contractions

If you find that you are nervous about Botox injections, you may want to know that local anesthesia, which is far more frequently used by dentists, is a lot more dangerous and has greater potential for complications and negative reactions, compared to Botox or dermal fillers.

If you’re interested in learning more about Botox injections, contact Dr. Lieberman at 727-785-8017 to schedule a consultation today. Or visit www.dentist-lieberman.com for additional information.

Dr. Larry Lieberman proudly accepts patients from Palm Harbor and all surrounding areas.

When TMJ Disorder Hurts too Much | Palm Harbor Dentist

TMJ disorder are linked to problems with the jaw joint. A problem with the muscles or joints in your jaw can lead to headaches, ear pain, bite problems, jaw pain and much more. There are several conditions that can end up causing TMJ:

Bruxism, or teeth grinding and clenching. Sufferers of bruxism often wake up with jaw or ear pain. This is due to wear on the cartilage lining of the temporomandibular joint.

Gum chewing or nail biting. Using your teeth as tools is going to eventually damage your teeth, but when it begins to affect your TMJ, it may be time to break this terrible habit.

Malocclusion, or the misalignment of teeth. Some people find it hard to chew on a certain side of their teeth due to misalignment, so they habitually chew on the other side causing excess stress on that side of the jaw.

Previous jaw fractures or injury.

Individuals suffering from TMJ experience many symptoms such as discomfort and pain in areas surrounding the face or jaw. And if we know anything, we know that toothaches are guarantees to a bad mood. Thankfully, there are a series of remedies recommended in order to alleviate tension found in those areas. Some of these include:

Facial exercises such as stretching, relaxing, or massaging the muscles found around the jaw
Evading actions such as yawning, singing, or excessive chewing
Learning new stress relieving techniques including meditation, breathing exercises, or personal stress relievers
Formulating an exercise plan in order to increase our pain tolerance

If symptoms worsen, you are encouraged to schedule an appointment immediately with our friendly staff. It is possible that further steps may need to be taken to alleviate the issue.

Dr. Larry Lieberman proudly accepts patients from Palm Harbor and all surrounding areas.

Botox and Dentistry? | Palm Harbor Dentist

Just a decade or two ago, it was hard to convince dentists that tooth whitening and orthodontic procedures were necessary for anything other than cosmetic reasons. The main focus was to ensure their patient’s teeth were healthy and that nothing was wrong with them. These days, however, more and more dental professionals have realized that function and esthetic go hand-in-hand in achieving optimal health.

One way that cosmetic dentistry has changed is through the use of Botox. We all know it’s mainly used for wrinkles, but our jaws also have muscles and they’re prone to suffering from constant muscle spasms. Conditions such as bruxism, TMJ and others involving facial pain have been proven to benefit from Botox injections.

Safe for treating conditions involving facial pain, Botox injections may also prove useful in many other dental cases, such as:

Botox, along with dermal fillers like Juvederm or Voluma, are used and have been effective to some extent in treating high line cases without having to resort to far more invasive and aggressive forms of treatment.
In orthodontics, the teeth of patients with strong mentalis muscles are prone reverting back to pre-therapy positions. Botox can help with this by making the muscles weaker to allow more normal movement and prevent the undoing of the effects of the current treatment.
Patients who are still getting used to dentures can benefit from Botox, especially if they suffer from strong and consistent muscle contractions.

Minimally invasive and very easy to administer, the use of Botox injections can present a lot of benefits for both patients and dentists alike. So, if you find that you are experiencing any issues that can benefit from Botox, talk to your dentist for their suggestions.

If you’re interested in learning more about laser dentistry, contact Dr. Lieberman at 727-785-8017 to schedule a consultation today. Or visit www.dentist-lieberman.com for additional information.

Dr. Larry Lieberman proudly accepts patients from Palm Harbor and all surrounding areas.

End the Year Without Your Bad Habits | Palm Harbor Dentist

Let’s face it – this has been one wild ride of a year. There was always something new to make us overwhelmed. And with this, some bad habits may have presented themselves. It’s understandable. So, as we are preparing to enter a new (and hopefully less stressful) year, why not take a moment to think about these bad habits and make a change for the better? Here is a list of some bad dental habits that we hope you can try to curtail because they are really killing your smile:

Chewing ice. We’ve all been guilty of this. After you’ve finished a drink, you might have the habit of chewing the ice that is leftover. But it’s the cold and hardness of the cubes can actually chip or crack your teeth.

Oral tool kit. Just like the ice habit, using your teeth to crack open nuts, or tear through plastic can be incredibly detrimental. Just like chewing ice, using your teeth as a tool may cause damage to your teeth.

Drinking soda. This may seem harmless, but there is a number of reasons why soda is bad for our teeth. Chockful of sugar, even the sugar-free options are bad for our teeth. Sodas are acidic and incredibly harmful to teeth.

Nail biting. A nervous habit, we know and perhaps one of the most common bad habits at that, biting your nails itself is not only damaging to your nail beds, but also to your teeth.

Teeth grinding. Officially called bruxism, grinding your teeth can begin to wear them down. While this is difficult to control while you’re sleeping, a dentist may give you a night guard to help you get it under control.

If you’re interested in learning more about bad dental habits, contact Dr. Lieberman at 727-785-8017 to schedule a consultation today. Or visit www.dentist-lieberman.com for additional information.

Dr. Larry Lieberman proudly accepts patients from Palm Harbor and all surrounding areas.

Easing the Pain of TMJ Symptoms | Palm Harbor Dentist

No one like to have a toothache. For some reason, it feels like pain in our mouths is worse than any other type of pain. But what if it is your jaw that’s in pain? It brings on a whole new set of pain. Not only is it a larger area than a single tooth, but it can cause issues when trying to eat, sleep or other day-to-day activities. Thankfully, it is a condition that is temporary and can be alleviated without surgery.

Individuals suffering from Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, or TMJ, experience many symptoms such as discomfort and pain in areas surrounding the face or jaw. For some it’s a tenderness in the jaw area while some find pain around the ear, others will have difficulty eating or may experience locking of the jaw joint, which makes it tough to open and close the mouth. There are a series of remedies recommended in order to alleviate tension found in those areas. You’ll find that the remedies are simple and can easily done anywhere. Some of these include:

Facial exercises such as stretching, relaxing, or massaging the muscles found around the jaw

Evading actions such as yawning, singing, or excessive chewing.

Learning new stress relieving techniques, including but not limited to meditation, breathing exercises, or personal stress relievers. There are loads of options online you can experience in order to find what best suits your needs.

Formulating an exercise plan in order to increase your pain tolerance.

If you’re interested in learning more about TMJ disorder, contact Dr. Lieberman at 727-785-8017 to schedule a consultation today. Or visit www.dentist-lieberman.com for additional information.

Dr. Larry Lieberman proudly accepts patients from Palm Harbor and all surrounding areas.

Do I Have Temporomandibular Joint Disorder? | Palm Harbor Dentist

When someone experiences Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, or TMJ, they may experience symptoms, such as discomfort and pain in areas surrounding the face or jaw. But what exactly is TMJ and how does one develop the disorder?

TMJ is the joint where your lower jaw is attached to your skull, so you have TMJs on both sides of your face. Problems related to said joints are classified as TMJ disorders. Common examples of TMJ disorders are frequent migraines, having trouble sleeping and difficulty in closing, as well as opening the mouth. TMJ may also result in a number of other problems, including:

Pain in your facial area.
Pain in your ears, ringing, as well as congestion.
Popping and sometimes pain in the jaw when opening and closing the mouth.
Pain and stiffness in the shoulder, back and neck.
Numbness in your arms, more specifically your hands and fingers.
Problems with posture.

There are a series of remedies recommended in order to alleviate tension found in those areas. Some of these include:

Facial exercises such as stretching, relaxing, or massaging the muscles found around the jaw
Evading actions such as yawning, singing, or excessive chewing.
Learning new stress relieving techniques including but not limited to meditation, breathing exercises, or personal stress relievers.
Formulating an exercise plan in order to increase our pain tolerance.

Patients suffering from TMJ should follow these few techniques in order to alleviate TMJ pain and symptoms. If symptoms worsen, you are encouraged to schedule an appointment immediately with our friendly staff. There are various treatments a sleep specialist can offer.

If you’re interested in learning more about TMJ disorder, contact Dr. Larry Lieberman, DDS at 727-785-8017 to schedule a consultation today. Or visit www.dentist-lieberman.com for additional information.

Dr. Larry Lieberman proudly accepts patients from Palm Harbor and all surrounding areas.