April is National Stress Awareness Month and Dr. Tomsic shares her insights on the role dental professionals play in helping their patients
By Stan Goff, Senior Content Editor
Stress can lead to health issues, workplace struggles, relationship woes, and more. April marks National Stress Awareness Month, and this year it coincides with a challenging time in our country—not to mention it’s also tax time which can be a stressor for some.
With stress levels peaking, more dental patients than ever are experiencing temporomandibular (TMJ) disorders, facial pain, and even broken teeth due to constant jaw tension. Dr. Jaclyn Tomsic, DMD, MD, FACS, a leading jaw surgeon and TMJ expert, is seeing this surge firsthand.
Here, the Cleveland, Ohio board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon answers questions from Dentistry Today to share insights on why stress-related jaw issues are on the rise, how they impact overall health, and the latest treatment options—from Botox for jaw pain to cutting-edge surgical solutions.
Dentistry Today (DT): Everyone is aware of stress and the problems it can cause for people—but how important is it for dentists to be aware of the role jaw clenching and teeth grinding play in stress? And how can dentists learn the best ways to deal with these issues and to educate their patients?
Dr. Tomsic: Stress and teeth grinding are a circular relationship; one can cause the other and keep repeating itself. There are certain types of jaw patterns that predispose patients to grind; patients with what is called a short face jaw pattern, which involves a small upper and lower jaw, are more prone to clenching and grinding due to the nature of their skeletal pattern; their jaws are smaller and closer together, therefore, they not only grind more but also have more bite force. These jaw patterns can be recognized as early as the teenage years and referring them to an orthodontist and oral surgeon early to discuss treatment options can be paramount in preventing a lifetime of dental problems. Early recognition can help prevent issues by implementing custom night guards as well.
DT: Please elaborate on how these issues can lead to more serious issues such as TMJ, facial pain, and even broken teeth.
Dr. Tomsic: The increased bite force and load from grinding also causes increased and unnatural forces on the TMJ which can lead to TMJ pain and joint problems. Patients who grind tend to have an increased risk and tendency to fracture, chip, and break teeth due to the forces. In addition to the pain from TMJ disease and fractured teeth, grinders can also develop facial pain due to increased muscle use and soreness.
DT: What are the latest treatment options available?
Dr. Tomsic: Treatments really depend on the cause of the pain. Custom bite guards are splints that are a common starting place and sometimes that may be all that is necessary. In more severe cases surgery may be recommended or necessary to achieve an ideal result. Botox treatment to the facial muscles can also be a treatment option to help alleviate facial pain caused my muscle overuse.
DT: How do national awareness months like the National Stress Awareness Month
help to build awareness of these types of topics and how can dentists keep these important issues top of mind year-round?
Dr. Tomsic: They help to raise awareness and visibility of different issues; it gives people a chance to discuss certain issues and reach a wider audience. The more people talk about things, the more the public will notice.
The NIH on Stress
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) also recognizes April as National Stress Awareness Month and adds that “stress can affect your body, thoughts, feelings, and behavior,” adding that being able to recognize common symptoms of stress can help manage them.
Stress that’s left unchecked can contribute to many health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, and diabetes, the NIH states. It can also lead to work problems as incivility and conflict in the workplace can lead to increased stress levels and a decrease in productivity.
So, don’t forget that April is National Stress Awareness Month, but also don’t forget the role dentistry professionals can play year round when it comes to alleviating TMJ disorders, facial pain and fractured teeth.
Dr. Tomsic completed her oral and maxillofacial surgery training at the Detroit Medical Center in Detroit, MI, working at Level I trauma centers Detroit Receiving Hospital, Henry Ford Hospital and St. John’s Medical Center. Training also involved rotations through Harper University Hospital and the Children’s Hospital of Michigan, encompassing a broad range of patients and cases.
While in the “D” she attended the Wayne State University School of Medicine, receiving her medical degree from the largest single campus medical school in the country. She then completed her PGY1 general surgery internship with the Department of Surgery at the Detroit Medical Center before completing her chief year of OMF surgery.
Dr. Tomsic then chose to further her training by moving to the nation’s capital to join the Posnick Center for Facial Plastic Surgery, completing a one-year fellowship in jaw reconstruction, orthognathic surgery, facial plastic surgery, and sleep apnea surgery at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC under the direction of Dr. Jeffrey Posnick. During her fellowship she completed over 100 cases treating complex craniofacial deformities requiring orthognathic surgical repositioning, maxillo-mandibular advancement surgery and facial cosmetic surgery, becoming an expert in the treatment from start to finish. She decided to stay in the DC area a second year, where she worked at Washington Hospital Center, DC’s largest and busiest Level One trauma center, completing her PGY2 year as a general surgery resident, strengthening her surgical and medical background.
Finally, Dr. Tomsic relocated to the St. Louis area to complete a one-year fellowship with the Oral Facial Surgery Institute and Mercy Hospital, focusing her concentration on facial cosmetic surgery and TMJ surgery. She then chose to stay with that group. During her tenure at Mercy, she proudly obtained Fellowship in the American College of Surgeons in 2017.
She recently relocated back to her hometown of Cleveland, where she is now excited to give back and be a part of the community she holds so dear. Her main clinical interests include facial cosmetic surgery and facial rejuvenation procedures, orthognathic surgery, trauma, pathology, third molar and implant surgery.
In her free time, Dr. Tomsic is an avid sports fan and a member of the Junior League. She enjoys traveling, adventure, fitness, country music and quality time with family and friends.
