04 Sep What Are The Treatment Options for TMJ?

What Are The Treatment Options for TMJ?

TMJ (temporomandibular joint) helps move your jaw to bite, chew, speak, and swallow. The joint connects your temporal bone and the jawbone linking the jaw to the skull. TMJD/TMD are disorders affecting the temporomandibular joints, ligaments, and muscles. TMJ disorder could be a temporary or a chronic issue. Also, men are more likely to experience TMJD than women, probably in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. What happens when you have TMJD? A peculiar pain in your jaw joints and muscles affects their movements. TMJ disorders can be caused by the following:

• Genetics
• Arthritis
• Injury
• Bruxism
• Problems with the jaw or teeth
• Connective tissue damage

The symptoms you’d often experience include:

• Facial pain and swelling
• Pain in and around the ears
• Locking, popping, or clicking jaw
• Difficulty chewing, eating, or opening the mouth

It’s important to speak to a dentist experienced in treating TMJ to begin your treatment quickly, especially when you suffer from a combination of symptoms. Usually, TMJD results from a number of risk factors. Your dentist can help start you on the right treatment plan for your unique needs.  TMJD can be pretty stressful and painful and while the research on TMJD is still emerging,, there are a wealth of treatment options currently available, including conservative and surgical options.

Treatment Options for TMJD

1.    Medications

Your dentist can prescribe specific medications to help with TMJ. These might include pain relievers. Other drugs can include lower doses of antidepressants and certain muscle relaxants.

2.    Therapy

Non-pharmaceutical treatment options for TMJ include specific therapies to relieve pain and other discomforts without surgery. Therapies can include:

• Mouth guards to ease the symptoms of TMJ, like teeth grinding
• Jaw exercises to help increase and strengthen the range of motion
• Counseling to understand the root causes like biting, clenching, and grinding

3.    Stress Management

Stress is another factor that tightens a lot of your muscles. So, your dentist might suggest relaxing activities like massaging the jaw, using night guards to avoid grinding, using hot/cold compress, and not chewing hard and sticky foods. Yoga can also put your muscles at ease.  Avoiding tension can prevent stress-induced TMJ.

Surgery

Surgery should always be the last resort. It is required to fix severe symptoms, especially when they are persistent and don’t improve with conservative treatment options. Botox injections and minimally-invasive procedures like arthroscopy, arthrocentesis, and open joint surgery help diagnose and treat problems associated with TMJ. But as with everything else, there can be side effects, so you’ll want to understand your options thoroughly. Discuss the risks and benefits with your dentist.

The Bottom Line

TMJ is definitely curable. In most cases, you won’t need surgical intervention. There are multiple options available to ease your discomfort. Talk to your dentist to better understand which options may work best for you. Remain positive. Iroquois Dental is there to help!  Schedule an appointment with the experienced dental team at Iroquois Dental Center. Call (630) 416-0780 to discuss your options or book an appointment online at iroquoisdental.com.