Total Dental Solutions Blog

What happens when you combine daily stress and chronic pain?
More stress and more pain.
That’s exactly what can happen when problems with your temporomandibular joint go unchecked!
When you’re already feeling the effects of this malfunction in your joint, stress can pile on and make the problem worse.
But help isn’t far to find!
Our team at George A. Hoop, DDS can help you find relief with our TMJ disorder solutions in Fort Myers, FL!
Today, we’re telling you more about the cycle that’s created with TMJ disorder and stress and how we can help you end it for good.

What Causes The Pain Of TMJ

Because most of the joints throughout your body are in near constant motion, it’s so easy to take their proper function for granted.
One of the most overused joints in your body is your temporomandibular joint, or TMJ, which is located below the ears. It’s used to open and close your mouth.
That means chewing, yawning, swallowing, speaking, laughing, coughing… all these mundane tasks are assigned to this critical joint. Naturally, when something goes wrong with your TMJ, you’re going to suffer the painful impact all day long because of how much you rely on it.
Here are a few of the typical symptoms of TMJ disorder, or TMD, that you might experience:
*Earache pain
*Tension in your shoulders and upper back
*Pain in your jaw and neck
*Lockjaw
*Crackling or popping noises when you eat
*Frequent headaches
Think this list is bad?
We haven’t even begun! That’s because all these can be made much worse when you pile on stress to your TMJ problem.

The Role Stress Plays On Your TMJ Pain

Think about the ways your body reacts to stress.
Whether it’s a sudden, momentary stressful situation or a more chronic stress tied to your daily responsibilities and circumstances, you’ll see physical signs of that stress throughout your body.
One of the most common sign is tension.
So imagine yourself tensing up, often without you even realizing it and try to identify where on your body that tension is happening.
That’s right! In the neck, shoulders, back, and jaw.
It’s where most people carry tension, which means that tightening up the muscles in those areas are going to only intensify the pain you already had because of TMJ.
It also means that in times of stress, you might find yourself even clenching up your jaw and grinding your teeth. This not only makes your TMJ pain worse, but it can threaten to wear down or even damage your teeth.
This is how the cycle is created between stress and TMJ disorder!
*You’re uncomfortable and tense and in pain because of TMJ misalignment.
*All that pain and discomfort causes stress.
*That stress causes you, whether wittingly or unwittingly, to double down on the tension in your jaw, which causes more pain.
*And the cycle continues day in and day out.

How You Can End The Painful Cycle Of Stress & TMJ

To disrupt this painful pattern of pain, stress, and more pain, you need help from the right team of skilled professionals.
Dr. Hoop has years of training and experience with administering solutions for TMJ sufferers in the Fort Myers, FL area.
He and our team know what chronic pain and stress can do to your health, your smile, and your state of mind, which is why we can provide you with a custom oral appliance to help you find relief.
The object with a mouthguard or a splint that’s especially made to fit you, your upper and lower teeth will be shifted to a place of better alignment so you can alleviate the undue stress on your jaw joint, get out of pain, and allow your jaw to heal properly.

Make An Appointment

With Dr. Hoop and our team, you can live without the pain and discomfort of TMJ and get out of the pattern of worsening symptoms brought on by stress.
Our solutions can help you find relief and allow your jaw to heal so your smile and your sanity remain intact!
Call our Fort Myers, FL dental office today at (239) 594-8817 or fill out our online form to request an appointment.
 

Bill had a bad bike accident years ago that left him in need of major dental work.
Fortunately, he took the advice of his neighbor, a local orthodontist, and came to George A. Hoop, DDS.
Our team was able to repair Bill’s damaged teeth with restorative dentistry in our Fort Myers, FL dental office.

Call George A. Hoop, DDS today at (239) 594-8817 or fill out our online form to request an appointment.

When a tooth is damaged, decayed, or infected, you know that putting off dental treatment will only make it worse.
So naturally, you turn to a highly-skilled team, like ours at George A. Hoop, DDS in Fort Myers, FL, for the restorative treatment you need to fix that tooth and save your smile.
It also doesn’t hurt that Dr. Hoop is a perfectionist who provides restorations that blend in beautifully with your smile so it looks as good as new.
Today’s infographic lists three restorative treatments in our Fort Myers and North Naples, FL dental offices that can fix your teeth and keep you smiling!
Put your restorations in good hands! Call George A. Hoop, DDS today at (239) 594-8817 or fill out our online form to request an appointment.

To make an important decision, you always look at the advantages and disadvantages of a particular option before you make a final choice.
So like anything else, you’ll need to weigh the pros and cons of your cosmetic dentistry options before you know which one is right for you.
That’s what our team at George A. Hoop, DDS is helping you do with today’s blog!
When it comes to imperfections that plague your smile over the years, such as chips, cracks, and stains, our Ft. Myers, FL patients have never been disappointed with dental veneers!
We’re taking a closer look at facing the dental veneers decision and what to consider when trying to determine if they’re the cosmetic solution for your smile.

Facing The Dental Veneers Decision

Veneers will be found under the cosmetic treatment list of options at the dentist office.
Yet despite that, dental veneers are also restorative in how they cover and protect troubled teeth from bacterial infection and other potential oral health threats.
Crafted from some of the finest materials, modern veneers are made to look just like real tooth enamel so your smile will look natural and beautiful at the same time!
Although the process to get dental veneers takes time, it’s one of those treatments that, upon completion, will render immediate transformative results in how you look and feel!

Reasons To Favor Dental Veneers

It’s tough to narrow down the reasons to favor dental veneers as a cosmetic solution for your smile flaws!
But typically, people appreciate some of these common perks:

*Veneers Will Stay White & Bright*

Your veneers will hide your current teeth stains from years of coffee, tea, and red wine, and they’ll resist stains from foods and drinks down the road. You’ll enjoy a bright white smile for many years!

*Veneers Are Durable*

As delicate and thin as they are, you wouldn’t think veneers would be so strong and durable! Yet, that’s one of the great advantages because not only do they hide so many flaws on your teeth, they protect them from damage in the future.

*Veneers Don’t Require Lots Of Care*

You don’t have to change up your daily routine when you opt for veneers because they can be cleaned with normal brushing and flossing. No special dental tools or products required here!

*Veneers Mask Embarrassing Flaws*

If multiple flaws have worn your smile’s youthful beauty, veneers are like a miracle for your teeth!
They can mask unsightly problems like:
-Crooked teeth
-Stains
-Gaps between teeth
-Chips and cracks
-Surface ridges on your enamel
-Uneven, worn, or pointy teeth
Given the number of problems veneers can hide, they’re considered one of the most versatile smile solutions in modern dentistry.

Reasons To Fear Dental Veneers

First, let’s be clear.
There’s really nothing at all to ‘fear’ about getting dental veneers, especially when you put them in the hands of Dr. Hoop and our team!
What we really mean here is that there are certain things about veneers that some may see as a reason to consider other cosmetic alternatives.
For example, if you’re not comfortable with the thought of maintaining the whiteness of your teeth that don’t have veneers, you may want to reconsider.
While your dental veneers will stay bright and resist staining, your other teeth won’t, so you’d have to think about how to maintain a seamlessly white smile as you wear them.
Dental veneers are also irreversible because some modification of your own tooth enamel will need to be done before their placed to maximize the adhesion and the most natural fit.
Outside of that, it’s really just a matter of knowing how to avoid potential damage through risky habits like chewing on ice cubes or pens and the like. Veneers are incredibly strong, but those types of behaviors aren’t good for your teeth in general, so it’s something to be aware of going in.

Ultimately, The Choice Is Yours To Make

We’re talking about a very important decision, one that can’t be made after reading today’s blog. We just wanted to give you some insight into the general pros and cons patients tend to wrestle with when thinking about dental veneers for their smile.
Ultimately, it’s a choice you have to make for yourself based on your specific situation. But you’re not alone!
Dr. Hoop and our experienced team are here to support you in your decision so you can make the choice you’re most comfortable with and one that will give you the smile you want.

Schedule A Consultation

When you trust our team at George A. Hoop, DDS with your new smile, you have nothing to fear at all.
That’s because we have the skills, training, and technology to design the best vision and treatment plan that will lead to your desired results for a new smile.
Dental veneers are powerful and transformative, but you have many other cosmetic options in our Fort Myers, FL dental office. We’ll help you find the best one for you!
Call George A. Hoop, DDS today at (239) 594-8817 or fill out our online form to request a consultation.

Rob had always assumed the only way to fix his crooked teeth was with years of braces.
But when problems with his front teeth started piling on as the years went by, he came to George A. Hoop, DDS to take that step.
Fortunately, we were able to fix his smile sooner than Rob thought!
Hear him talk more about his experience with short-term orthodontics in our Fort Myers, FL dental office and why he’s glad he trusted his new smile to our team!
Find out which of our orthodontic solutions is right for you! Call George A. Hoop, DDS today at (239) 594-8817 or fill out our online form to request a consultation.