The term TMJ is shorthand for temporomandibular joint and refers to the joint between the condyle of your mandible (lower jaw) and the glenoid fossa (skull base). The joints are unique in that they both function together at the same time to open or close your mouth.

TMJs are ginglymoarthroidal joints as they hinge open (the initial bit of opening) and then slide forwards (allowing you to open fully). In between the two surfaces of the joint is an articular meniscus or disc made out of cartilage. Problems you may have with TMJ are: associated with muscles around the TMJ, often as a result of habitual clenching and/or grinding, sometimes termed myofascial pain; problems with the joint itself as a result of internal joint derangement, in which the movements are not as smooth as they should be on opening and/or closing; problems with the joint due to degenerative diseases such as arthritis; pyschosocial problems due to stress and/or anxiety, sometimes termed “functional overlay”. Symptoms of TMD vary from person to person (and depend upon the causative pathologies), but common ones include: pain, limitation of mouth opening (trismus), jaw locking, crunching, grinding and/or clicking noises and associated headache.

As TMD (temporomandibular disorder) is multifactorial in terms of the underlying causes, treatment is similarly often multimodal and may be done in a stepwise fashion according to response. Common treatments include: TMJ physiotherapy and exercises, medication, stress relief, occlusal appliances (splints), TMJ arthroscopy, open TMJ surgery (TMJ arthroplasty), total prosthetic (alloplastic) TMJ replacement.

Periodontology is a specialist branch of dentistry that deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases affecting the periodontium.

The periodontium represents the supporting tissue of the tooth, which consists of the gums – gingiva, alveolar bone, and the periodontal ligament that connects the tooth and bone. Diseases that affect the periodontium are gingivitis and periodontitis. They are caused by the accumulation of bacteria and tartar.

Gingivitis is inflammation of the gums – gingiva, and is characterized by redness and bleeding of the gingiva. Although gingivitis is most often caused by bacteria from plaque and calculus (deposits on hard dental tissues), there are also some conditions in which people are particularly prone to developing gingivitis, such as: puberty, pregnancy, orthodontic irregularities, systemic diseases and the use of certain drugs, nicotine consumption and alcohol, taking oral contraceptives… If gingivitis is not treated in time, periodontitis develops as a more severe form of periodontal disease.

Chronic periodontitis that is not treated leads to the loss of periodontal tissues (supporting elements of the teeth) and causes the teeth to wobble and move. In the most severe cases, such teeth must be removed. In order to prevent the occurrence of periodontal tissue diseases, it is necessary to maintain good oral hygiene regularly, but also to visit the dentist regularly so that tartar, which is the main cause of periodontal diseases, can be removed in time.

Prosthodontics include any replacement or substitute for a natural tooth in case one, more or even all teeth are missing.

There are several types of prosthetic replacements, namely: dental implants, dental crowns, veneers, dental bridges and dental prosthesis (dentures). Dental crowns are a very popular choice of dental prosthetics among patients. The reason for this is their multiple function – in addition to replacing the damaged crown of the tooth and thus protecting the remaining part of the natural tooth, they also completely restore the chewing function, i.e. enable you to chew food with that tooth as before the damage.

The once frequent metal-ceramic crowns are installed less and less, and they have been replaced by more aesthetically attractive ceramic or porcelain crowns.

Veneers are extremely thin ceramic coverings that are placed over the front part of your tooth that look like natural teeth.

Dental bridge, a prosthetic structure that, as the name suggests, bridges the toothless area. The bridge is placed on natural teeth, if possible. If the condition of the dental jaw does not allow installation on natural teeth, the bridge is placed on dental implants, completely painless, and then cemented.

Dentures are removable plastic or metal frameworks that carry multiple false teeth. Depending on how many teeth you are missing, you might need full or partial dentures.

Dental implants are used to replace lost teeth.

They have become increasingly popular as an alternative to mobile prosthesis. Dental implants can be used to support crowns that replace single missing teeth, bridges that replace several missing teeth, and even dentures in patients who have lost their teeth.

Implants are generally manufactured from titanium – a metal known to be compatible with body tissues and are able to integrate with bone during healing. The implant is installed in the jaw.

During healing, which usually takes between two and six months, the surface of the implant fuses with the surrounding bone, a process known as osseointegration. Once this process is complete, the implant is stable enough to support one or more new teeth.

After the healing period, an impression is taken to make the tooth, the tooth is placed on the implant, adjusted to match the shape, color and dimensions of the mouth, the functionality of the tooth and the aesthetics of the smile are restored.

According to the literature, 80% of implants last more than 10 years. Dental implants need lifelong maintenance, just like teeth, to last as long as possible.

Endodontics is a branch of dentistry that deals with the treatment of the dental nerve, a procedure that belongs to one of the most common dental procedures and is most often caused by toothache caused by deep caries. Each tooth has a small chamber and canal in its centre, which contains soft, well-circulated tissue full of thin veins and nerves.

This tissue is called the pulp and serves to nourish the teeth and sense pain. A tooth softened by caries is full of bacteria that use their digestive products to irritate the pulp and cause nerve inflammation and pain. This inflammation will certainly not go away on its own and it is necessary to intervene. If the initial acute inflammation persists, it will become chronic, which can lead to extensive bone destruction around the tooth root and tooth loss. Of course, the situation is already alarming then. The dentist will treat your inflamed tooth by making a hole in the tooth to reach the canal, and the inflamed nerve will be removed using a set of special needles that are used to scrape and shape the canals.

The expanded and disinfected canals must be sealed with a filling that will prevent bacteria from leaking from the oral cavity into the bone in which the tooth is anchored. However, the treatment of the teeth is complete when a permanent ‘filling’ or crown is made on such a tooth.

Dental hygiene includes methods of achieving the necessary protection against harmful bacteria and microbes in the oral cavity.

Only professional, regular and correct teeth cleaning ensures optimal control of oral health. Even if you regularly and carefully maintain oral hygiene, approximately 30% of tooth surfaces remain uncleaned: over 90% of people do not know how to properly maintain oral hygiene (brushing their teeth).

If your oral hygiene is not great, tartar and plaque that will appear in your mouth. They contain harmful bacteria that lead not only to periodontal problems, but they will contribute to the rapid development of caries. Professional cleaning will minimize the occurrence of caries and periodontitis and extend the life of your teeth.

It consists of removal of plaque and pigments that cannot be removed by normal brushing. It is a combination of tooth sandblasting (calcium carbonate powder is used under a stream of water and air) and tartar cleaning (tartar is removed with an ultrasound machine).

These dental hygiene treatments are painless. After a professional cleaning you will need to continue taking care of your oral health with electric tooth brush, interdental brushes and mouthwash at home.

Orthodontics is a branch of dentistry that deals with correcting the incorrect position of the teeth and jaw.

Teeth that are crooked or not in the right place effect the aesthetics and health of the oral cavity. In addition to aesthetics, the goal of orthodontics is to resolve painful conditions and disorders of the chewing system. Orthodontic therapy is one of the best preventive measures that will prevent the occurrence of numerous caries in places that are not easily accessible during cleaning your teeth. In addition to functional improvements, aesthetic and psychological changes in the patient justify wearing orthodontic appliances.

Orthodontic therapy is relatively long treatment and requires the engagement and cooperation of the patient. During therapy, it is necessary for the patient to listen to the received instructions and maintain great oral hygiene. Insufficient cooperation results in prolonged duration of therapy, as well as the absence of results.

Orthodontic therapy in adults is carried out very often, because it is never too late to correct protruding (protruded) or retracted (retruded) teeth, spaced teeth, gaps created by tooth extraction and sometimes eliminate the need for prosthetic replacement or implants. In cases where a long time has passed since the loss of a tooth, the adjacent teeth move and tilt into the free space, so there is often not enough space to place a dental implant to replace the lost tooth. Then orthodontic therapy is needed, which corrects the crooked teeth and thus makes enough room for the implant and crown.

Restorative dental medicine is a branch of dental medicine and its goal is to diagnose and remove caries and replace lost tissue. These are the most common procedures that we perform every day.

Nowadays, these procedures are performed quickly and painlessly thanks to highly effective anesthetics and highly developed aesthetic materials.

Dental caries is tooth damage caused by the bacteria Streptococcus mutans. By its action, the bacteria disintegrates sugar and leads to a change in the amount of acid in the oral cavity. The action of acid leads to the destruction of teeth. Dental caries starts on the enamel and spreads through the dentin, and if it is not repaired in time, inflammation of the dental pulp, i.e. the nerve, occurs. If dental caries reaches the nerve, the tooth must be treated endodontically.

According to the World Health Organization, dental caries is the most widespread disease today, which can greatly affect human health. In order to repair dental caries, it is necessary to diagnose it with an intraoral x-ray or dental examination. Caries repair requires knowledge and experience, so with new materials, a large part of the damaged or caries-destroyed tissue can be reconstructed, so that the repaired tooth imitates the appearance of a natural tooth.