Sometimes known as night guards, these splints are very effective, particularly for patients who clench their jaws and grind their teeth at night. The most common treatment for TMJ pain are splints that help reposition the jaw while you sleep. Some patients with arthritis, erosion of the joint, or a traumatic injury need to have the temporomandibular joint replaced in order to get permanent relief. There are even exercises you can do to relax your jaw if muscle tension due to jaw clenching is causing your TMJ pain.įor patients who have arthritis, it may be necessary to loop in a rheumatologist so we can treat the pain you’re experiencing and also the underlying cause of it. When your TMJ feels aggravated, switch to a soft foods diet and avoid gum and foods that require a lot of chewing. Cold therapy using an ice pack works best, but some patients with muscle tension find relief from warm compresses. Treat your jaw pain with hot or cold therapy-or a combination of both-using compresses. The simplest step to start with is self-care at home, particularly if your TMJ pain is not chronic. There are several possible treatment options for TMJ pain. This is why it’s important to find a TMJ treatment provider that takes the time to listen to your symptoms and come up with a personalized treatment plan just for you. Sometimes, an underlying cause for TMJ disorder cannot be diagnosed this doesn’t mean that treatment isn’t possible, but it may take a little more trial-and-error. While it’s not a direct cause of TMJ pain, it’s certainly a complicating factor and it causes many physical conditions that lead to TMJ dysfunction. Stress can cause muscle tension throughout the body, including the muscles surrounding the temporomandibular joint. Your jaw may be clenched as you sit at the computer working, or you might be one of the many people who grinds their teeth at night and has no knowledge of it. You might not even realize it, but stress and anxiety can cause dramatic physiological changes in the body. Stress is an important factor in TMJ pain. If we suspect that there is physical damage to the joint itself, you may also need x-rays or even a CT scan or MRI. Teeth grinding and jaw clenching (often as a reaction to stress)Īt your first appointment for TMJ pain, we’ll discuss the symptoms you’re experiencing and conduct a thorough exam that includes feeling the temporomandibular joint while you open and close your mouth, checking for tenderness and swelling surrounding the joint, and examining the teeth for signs of wear due to teeth grinding.Congenital birth defects or other structural problems with the jaw.Facial trauma or other injury to the temporomandibular joint.
While treating the symptoms can bring temporary relief, it’s only by treating the cause of TMJ disorder that we can come up with a lasting solution. In order to effectively treat TMJ disorder, it’s important for us to determine the underlying cause whenever possible.
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