TMJ & Airway Support in Hammond, LA
Botox, TMJ treatment, and airway care all under one roof.
Chronic headaches, a jaw that clicks or aches, worn-down teeth, and a partner who nudges you when you snore tend to get treated as four separate problems. More often they're one problem showing up in four places.
At Currier Dental Studio, we look at how your jaw joint, your bite, and your airway work together, then treat the source instead of managing the symptom. Airway health is part of every comprehensive exam we do, for every patient, from nine months old to ninety.
TMJ Treatment
The temporomandibular joint does more work than almost any joint in your body, and when it stops moving the way it should, the effects rarely stay local. Jaw pain, clicking or popping, limited opening, earaches, and recurring tension headaches all trace back to it regularly.
We evaluate the joint, your bite, and your muscle patterns together to find what's driving the dysfunction, then build a treatment plan around that cause rather than handing you a prescription for the pain.
Botox for TMJ & Jaw Tension
For patients whose jaw pain comes from overworked muscles, therapeutic Botox targets the masseter and temporalis directly, relaxing the muscles that clench and grind so the joint gets a genuine break.
Patients often notice fewer tension headaches and less morning soreness within a couple of weeks, along with less wear on the teeth themselves. Dr. Currier administers it as a dental professional trained in the facial anatomy she works in every day, which is the same reason patients come to her for cosmetic Botox as well.
Custom Night Guards
Most people who grind their teeth at night have no idea they're doing it until we point out the flattened edges and hairline fractures. A custom night guard is molded to your teeth and your bite, so it protects enamel from grinding pressure without the bulk, slipping, or jaw strain that comes with a boil-and-bite version from the drugstore.
Worn consistently, it also relieves a good deal of the muscle tension that shows up as morning headaches.
Snoring & Mild Sleep Apnea
Snoring is worth paying attention to, particularly when it comes with morning headaches, daytime exhaustion, or a partner who has noticed you stop breathing. For mild sleep apnea and snoring, we offer oral appliance therapy in-office, a custom-fitted appliance that holds the airway open overnight without a machine or a mask.
Local ENT specialists refer patients to us for exactly this, and when a case needs more than we should handle, we send it right back to them. You'll get a straight answer about which side of that line you're on.
Airway Evaluation at Every Age
Airway problems don't start in adulthood. Mouth breathing, restless sleep, crowded teeth, and daytime irritability in children frequently point back to a restricted airway, and catching it early changes how the face and jaw develop. That's why an airway evaluation is part of every comprehensive exam here, for every patient of every age, not an upgrade you have to know to ask for.
If we see something worth watching, we'll tell you what it means and what your options are before it becomes a bigger problem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common signs include clicking or popping when you open, jaw soreness that's worse in the morning, difficulty opening all the way, earaches with no ear infection, and headaches that start at the temples. Any one of those on its own may not mean much. Together they're worth an evaluation, and the exam itself is straightforward.
It relaxes the muscles doing the clenching, which reduces pressure on the joint and the wear on your teeth. Results typically last three to four months. Some patients with heavily overdeveloped jaw muscles do notice a slightly slimmer jawline as those muscles relax, which most consider a bonus. Your expression and your smile are unaffected, since we're treating muscles that have nothing to do with either.
Yes, and the difference is fit. A store-bought guard is a generic shape you soften and bite into, which means it can shift, wear unevenly, or push your jaw into a position that makes tension worse. A custom guard is made from an impression of your teeth and checked against your bite, so it protects without introducing a new problem.
For mild cases, yes. Oral appliance therapy is a recognized treatment for mild sleep apnea and snoring, and it's a practical option for patients who can't tolerate a CPAP machine. Moderate and severe cases belong with a physician or ENT specialist, and we work closely with local ENTs in both directions. We'll be honest with you about where your case falls.
Because we have a clear view of it, and because we see the evidence of airway problems on the teeth before most people connect the dots. Grinding, crowding, a narrow palate, and mouth breathing all show up in the mouth first. Checking the airway takes a few extra seconds during an exam we're already doing.
Please do. Those are two of the most common early signs of a restricted airway in kids, and early intervention can influence how the jaw and face develop rather than requiring correction later. Bring it up at your child's next visit, or call ahead so we can plan for a longer appointment.
Yes. Bring any removable appliance you use, including retainers, night guards, and snore appliances. Seeing what you already have, and how it's wearing, tells us a great deal about what's happening while you sleep.
We are not in-network with any insurance providers, but we do accept and file insurance on your behalf. We're happy to walk you through your specific plan and estimated costs before any treatment begins.