TMJ Therapy
Are you suffering from chronic headaches, earaches or jaw pain?
TMD (Temporomandibular Disorder) is a medical terminology describing pain and dysfunction coming from the Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ of jaw joint), the jaw muscles, and the surrounding supportive structures. Common complaints involve:
Jaw Pain
- Pain at rest
- Pain with opening the jaw
- Pain with biting down
Jaw Joint Noises
- Clicking or grating noises with opening and/or closing the mouth
- Pain with the joint noises
Headaches
Neck pain
Limited jaw opening
Inability to close the jaw completely (your teeth don’t touch like they use to)
Treatment
Treatment is dependent on an accurate diagnosis. TMD treatment would depend on the source of jaw pain, the type of dysfunction, how severe the pain is, and how long the pain has been there. Since each person’s TMD is different, a custom treatment plan should be developed for each person. Treatment may include:
- Oral appliance therapy to help the TMJ heal and to relax the jaw muscles
- Temporary diet changes
- New habits managing stress and jaw habits
- Medications to reduce inflammation and relax muscles
- Physical therapy
- Muscle injections
- TMJ injections
The success of treatment is determined by realistic goals, patient expectations, compliance, and individual response. Every patient has a unique case scenario. As such, some patients may respond rapidly; some may require more time or additional treatment. Do not be alarmed if your TMD does not respond right away. Sometimes more than one treatment needs to be tried before your doctor finds the best one for you.