Can wisdom teeth cause Tinnitus? Is Wisdom teeth Tinnitus even an actual condition? There is unfortunately no yes and no answer to this question. It’s all relative. What we have done below is given you pertinent information with which you can correlate your Tinnitus or ringing of the ears with dental problems you might have, specifically problems with your wisdom teeth. So, let’s find out if your wisdom teeth pain, infection or abscess has anything to do with your Tinnitus.
How can wisdom teeth cause or affect your Tinnitus?
A lot of things can happen to wisdom teeth. When they are affected by impaction, infection or abscesses, the area around the wisdom teeth can swell. The swelling can in turn change your facial structure, causing your jaw bone and other tissue to gradually shift. This in turn can potentially change the amount of pressure that is being applied on your ear canals.
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The pressure on your ear canals can in turn affect the functioning of your middle ear, causing the ringing in your ears, commonly referred to as Tinnitus. Here’s a study that explains how abnormal dental occlusion can cause Tinnitus.
Wisdom teeth, TMJ Disorder and your Tinnitus
Your wisdom teeth very rarely directly causes your Tinnitus. In most cases, an impacted or infected or abscessed wisdom teeth can cause another condition called a TMJ disorder. TM stands for your temporal mandibular joint. It’s the joint that’s responsible for keeping your jaw fixed to your skull. It regulates chewing, opening and closing of your jaw and even how you swallow food and talk.
As mentioned before, adverse changes to your wisdom teeth can adversely affect your TMJ. This can in turn result in Tinnitus, a common side effect for those suffering from TMJ disorders.
How Severe is Your Tinnitus?
Find out by using this THI (Tinnitus Handicap Inventory) Scoring Calculator
How can you tell that you are suffering from a TMJ disorder? You will have any, many or even all of the following symptoms;
- Noisy jaw – Do you hear noises when you chew? It’s almost always a sign that you have TMJ, which could be causing or worsening your Tinnitus
- Painful jaw – If your wondering if your wisdom teeth can cause ear pain, it could definitely be doing so if you are also experiencing jaw pain, especially when you open your jaw wide
- Ear pressure – Your wisdom teeth causing ear pressure along with Tinnitus could be through the TMJ disorder it is aggravating
What usually causes TMJ Disorders?
Many number of things can cause TMJ disorders. Wisdom teeth infections or abscesses are just one of the cause. TMJ disorders can also be caused by Bruxism or grinding of the teeth, persistent jaw clenching, arthritis or just a bad case of the genes that you can blame on your bloodline! In many causes, it is also caused by trauma or injury to the jaw.
Can TMJ be treated?
Yes, TMJ is very treatable. In most cases, a dentist will be able to give you custom made splints or other apparatuses that will allow your jaw to relax or go back to an aligned position. This can in turn alleviate the pressure on your ear canals which can reduce or eliminate your TMJ disorder, and with it, your Tinnitus also.
In some cases, TMJ is treated by the removal of your wisdom teeth, if swelling caused by an impacted or abscessed wisdom teeth is found to the root cause of your TMJ condition.
A dentist usually diagnoses the cause of your TMJ condition by taking an X-Ray of your jaw. In most cases, a dental splint is enough to fix your TMJ condition. You may also be advised hypnotherapy to help you eliminate subconscious habits like teeth grinding or jaw clenching.
In very rare cases, surgery is required to correct your TMJ disorder.
Some people have also had success using a Chiropractor to treat Tinnitus and TMJ.
A Word of Caution Before You Visit Your Dentist for Tinnitus!
While having your wisdom teeth removed or your TMJ disorder addressed may help you with your Tinnitus condition, the sound from a dentist’s drill could actually make it worse! Quite a significant number of people have actually developed Tinnitus after visiting their dentist, because of the high pitched drilling sound that injures the middle ear. Wearing ear plugs while at the dentist is unfortunately not a solution as the sound is conducted through the bone, affecting the ears as much as when you just hear it acoustically.
This is something you may want to discuss with your dentist, before you have any work on your wisdom teeth done, if you are suffering from Tinnitus. This is particularly important if your Tinnitus is the type that gets worse due to sound triggers.
