TMJ is short for temporomandibular joint, which is your jaw. As a hinge joint it can move up and down, forward and backward, and side to side. All that mobility contributes to its vulnerability: the jaw joint is subject to a painful condition called TMJ disorder, which is treatable at Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette…
TMJ disorder
How Tooth Grinding Can Damage Your Smile

Teeth grinding is common in people of all ages. Known formally as bruxism, it’s when someone clenches their jaw or rubs their teeth together. It often happens during sleep, and can be very damaging to teeth. It’s one of the things we look for during checkups at Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO. Teeth grinding…
Suffering From Jaw Pain?

At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, our areas of expertise go beyond the teeth and gums. In this blog post, we are going to discuss jaw pain, and TMJ/TMD treatment. The human jaw is a complex joint, and sometimes it’s difficult to pinpoint the cause of pain that is centered there. The upper jaw, of…
Gritting Your Teeth: Stress And Your Smile

Doctors have been telling us for years that stress can increase the risk of everything from high blood pressure to depression. But how often do we think about how stress affects our smile? In this post from Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, here are some dental problems linked to stress. Canker and Cold Sores…
Attack Of The Gummi Bear

Here at the Lafayette dental blog, we never like to be the bearers of bad news, but we are passionate about our patients’ oral health. So, today we offer a key warning about a lesser-known danger of sticky candy.
Aching Jaw In Lafayette?

Hi. I’m Dr. Gordon West, and today in the Lafayette, CO cosmetic dentist blog, I want to look at some of the conditions that may result in jaw pain. Jaw pain may be caused by sinusitis. Sinusitis is the inflammation of the tissues that line your sinuses, and when these tissues are inflamed, the sinuses…
Treatment For Stress-Induced Jaw Pain In Lafayette, CO

Everyday aggravators cause many Lafayette, CO people to respond by clenching their jaw or grinding their teeth. For example, daily commuting in Lafayette, CO can take a physical toll. All the traffic, noise, and perpetual road construction causes some people to grind their teeth as they navigate the sea of cars. Some Lafayette, CO folks…
Treating Bite Problems in Lafayette

Bite problems can cause headaches and TMJ pain. Some Louisville, Lafayette, and Boulder, CO dental patients with severe bite problems develop a distorted facial shape and damaged teeth.
Lafayette TMJ Treatment

The Temporomandibular or jaw joint connects the lower jaw bone to the skull. Symptoms of TMJ disorder include jaw and facial pain, headaches, earaches, neck pain and chewing difficulty. TMJ disease is often associated with jaw clicking, locking or clenching, and can cause tooth damage and bone loss.