TMJ pain and symptoms can range from annoying to downright excruciating, depending on the severity of the condition. You may wonder if there is a cure if someone tells you that you have TMJ disorder or you experience TMJ symptoms. Discussing your specific symptoms with a knowledgeable dental care provider can help you develop a treatment plan that can best manage your symptoms.
What is TMJ Disorder?
The temporomandibular joint connects the jawbone to the skull, allowing for jaw movement. TMJ disorder encompasses a variety of issues with this joint. It can result from injury, displacement, or damage to the joint or jaw. Symptoms of such a disorder may include:
- Jaw pain or discomfort
- Facial pain and discomfort
- Clicking or popping sounds when your jaw moves up and down
- Difficulty chewing
Unfortunately, there's no single "cure" for TMJ, but several treatments can help manage the condition and alleviate symptoms.
Managing Your TMJ Symptoms
Many options exist for managing your TMJ symptoms, including pain and discomfort. While not every option will work for you, and you may find some work better than others, most patients will find relief from their symptoms with one or more of them:
- Self-Care Measures: In TMJ mild cases, self-care measures may be sufficient. You may want to try resting the jaw, eating softer foods, avoiding extreme jaw movements (such as opening as wide as you can or vigorous chewing), applying heat or ice packs, and practicing relaxation techniques to reduce jaw tension.
- Pain Medication: Over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen, aspirin, or acetaminophen can help reduce the pain and inflammation often associated with TMJ disorder.
- Oral Appliances: Your dentist or orthodontist may prescribe a custom-made oral appliance, such as a splint or mouthguard. Oral appliances like these can help stabilize your jaw and reduce the grinding or clenching of teeth.
- Physical Therapy: A physical therapist can teach you exercises and other helpful techniques that will strengthen as well as stretch the jaw muscles. Physical therapy can promote better jaw alignment and therefore decrease any associated pain and discomfort.
- Stress Management: Stress and anxiety frequently contribute to teeth grinding (bruxism) and jaw clenching. As such, managing stress with various strategies like relaxation techniques, counseling, or stress-reducing activities can reduce TMJ symptoms.
- Dental Procedures: Your dentist or orthodontist may recommend dental procedures, such as dental restorations or bite adjustments to help improve the alignment of the jaw and teeth.
- Medications: Dental or other healthcare providers may prescribe muscle relaxants or tricyclic antidepressants for some TMJ patients to manage the pain and muscle tension that is classic in TMJ disorder.
- Injections: In severe TMJ cases, your dental provider might recommend corticosteroid injections which are injected directly into the jaw joint to help reduce inflammation and pain.
- Surgery: Surgery is usually a last resort for severe TMJ cases that fail to respond to other conservative treatment options. Potential TMJ surgical procedures include replacement, arthrocentesis (joint flushing), or arthroscopy (joint repair).
TMJ disorder can have various causes. The most effective treatment may differ from one patient to the next. At Hass Family Orthodontics, our orthodontist can assess your specific condition, provide an accurate diagnosis, and suggest appropriate treatment options for your TMJ disorder.
TMJ Disorder Treatment Options in Conover, NC
Contact us today at 828-464-5300 to schedule an appointment at Hass Family Orthodontics and determine which TMJ treatment option might be best for you.