TMJ Treatment

If you need treatment for TMJ disorders, we can empathize. Also called temporomandibular joint dysfunction, this can be a highly painful condition, but there are treatments that can help you to feel better. One of the most common ways to treat TMJ disorders is to create a custom mouthguard that will keep you from grinding your teeth. Tooth grinding at night is a major cause of TMJ disorders, and these mouthguards can make it so that your teeth don’t touch, so they can’t be ground together. If you suffer from TMJ problems, let us know so that you can be treated effectively for the condition.

Being Diagnosed With TMJ Disorders

We can talk to you about your symptoms and will take a look at your jaw. The dentist will likely listen to your jaw as well as feeling it when you open your mouth and close it. Then, the motion of your jaw will be observed to see the exact range of motion. The dentist will likely press on specific areas of your jaw to find out whether there are areas that are painful or uncomfortable.

If the dentist does suspect that there is a TMJ problem, you may need to get X-rays for a better look at your teeth and jaw. You might also need to get a CT scan that can show the bones in a lot of detail. You might also need an MRI in order to show any problems that are in the soft tissue around the joint or in the joint’s disk.

Often, the dentist’s examination will show whether you have a TMJ problem, and it can give them the information they need to make your diagnosis and to create a treatment plan for you. There are many cases in which the condition simply goes away on its own without the need for any treatment. However, if you keep having symptoms, there are treatments that can help with this condition so that you are more comfortable. You may need more than one treatment in order to stay as comfortable as possible.

Treatments for TMJ Disorders

There are some medications that can help with this condition to relieve pain and allow you better motion of your jaw. Taking over-the-counter medications for pain can be helpful as can anti-inflammatory medications. These medications can often be highly helpful for the condition, but your dentist may need to write you a prescription for a medication such as a muscle relaxer in some cases. They can be used for just a few days up to a few weeks to relieve pain and calm the muscle spasms.

Wearing a mouthguard is another treatment that is often used for TMJ disorders. These are fitted over the teeth, and they can help with jaw pain. Another treatment often used is using ice or moist heat on the site of pain in order to relieve it.

If you have a TMJ disorder, make sure that you discuss it with the dentist at your next check-up appointment. Or, you can make a special appointment to consult about the problems with the dentist. We can give you suggestions for how to make the condition better as well as help you if you need specific treatments for it. Our goal is to make you as comfortable as possible and to help you relieve the condition.