TMJ Pain Treatment
The temporomandibular joint, also called TMJ, acts like a sliding hinge. It connects the jawbone to the skull. There is one joint on each side of the jaw. TMJ disorders — a type of temporomandibular disorder or TMD — can cause pain in the jaw joint and in the muscles that control jaw movement.
TMJ Pain Treatment
The exact cause of TMJ disorder is often hard to determine. The pain may be due to a mix of factors, including habits such as teeth clenching, gum chewing and nail biting; stress; and painful conditions that occur along with TMJ disorder such as fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis or jaw injury. The habit of teeth clenching or grinding also is known as bruxism.
In most cases, trismus is temporary and resolves within around 1- 2 weeks. However, in some cases, it can take longer to resolve and may even become permanent if left untreated. Trismus can last longer and could be more resistant to conventional treatment in those who develop fibrous tissue due to radiation therapy.
Your healthcare professional will likely discuss your symptoms and study your jaw by:
- Listening to and feeling your jaw when you open and close your mouth.
- Watching the range of motion in your jaw.
- Pressing on areas around your jaw to find sites of pain or discomfort.
If your healthcare professional thinks there is an issue, you may need:
- Dental X-rays to look at your teeth and jaw.
- CT scan to show detailed images of the bones involved in the joint.
- MRI to show issues with the joint's disk or surrounding soft tissue.
Care at ivory dental solutions for TMJ disorders
- Team approach. Team members work together to address your TMJ disorder in a coordinated way. Your team may include a dentist, oral and maxillofacial surgeon, pain management specialist, prosthodontist and others, if needed.
- Diagnostic and treatment options. The experts can offer advanced diagnostic evaluations and various treatment options for TMJ disorders. These options include medicines, therapies and surgery.
- Surgical treatment. It's rare to need surgery on the temporomandibular joint. But when surgery is needed, the oral and maxillofacial surgeons have extensive experience in the full range of TMJ surgical procedures, from arthroscopic surgery to open-joint surgery.
TMJ surgeons also use Clinic’s advanced 3D imaging and 3D printing resources to plan complex surgical procedures. This type of virtual surgical planning has been proven to enhance surgical outcomes. In some situations, a 3D-printed TMJ prosthesis is used for a total joint replacement.
Temperomandibular joint pain can be caused by multiple factors. If treated at an early age, the patient usually responds with non invasive procedures.