TMJ Diagnosis and Management

Trouble with Your Jaw?

TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorders develop for many reasons and are a family of problems related to you complex jaw joint . You might clench or grind your teeth, tightening your jaw muscles and stressing your TM joint. You may have a damaged jaw joint due to injury or disease. Injuries and arthritis can damage the joint directly or stretch or tear the muscle ligaments. As a result, the disk, which is made of cartilage and functions as the “cushion” of the jaw joint, can slip out of position. Whatever the cause, the result is TMJ Disorders

Normal TMJ

TMJ - Anterior Disc Displacement

Treatment

There are various treatment options that can be utilized to improve the harmony and function of your jaw. Once an evaluation confirms a diagnosis of TMJ disorder, the doctor will determine the proper course of treatment. It is important to note that treatment always works best with a team approach of self-care joined with professional care.

The goals of treatment are to decrease symptoms and restore function. Usually this means relieving the muscle spasms and joint pain, which will allow normal function to return. Medications such anti-inflammatory medications or a muscle relaxant may be prescribed. Steroids can be injected directly into the joints to reduce pain and inflammation. Self-care treatments can often be effective as well and include:

  1. Heat and massage to sore jaw and neck muscles to relieve stress and tenderness.
  2. Avoiding clenching and grinding when you are awake.
  3. Use of a night guard to avoid clenching and grinding when you are asleep (see below).
  4. Soft non-chew diet.
  5. Avoiding muscle stimulants such as caffeine and nicotine.
  6. Taking over the counter medications that relieve inflammation, like Advil.
  7. Exercising your jaw.
  8. Practicing good posture.

In certain situations surgery may be the required to correct a TMJ disorder. Generally these patients are unable to open the jaws greater than 5 mm or have a mechanical disruption within the TMJ that prevents the teeth from coming together correctly. The doctors at Southwest Oral Surgery will evaluate and recommend the appropriate treatment based on the symptoms present with each distinct patient.