subject: TMJ Treatment Options [print this page] TMJ Treatment Options
An estimated ten million Americans suffer from temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ). The signs and symptoms of TMJ disorders are frequently the same as those related to more serious health conditions like heart disease and cancer, so it is important to rule out those problems before seeking treatment for TMJ. In many cases, the problems related to TMJ disorders remain untreated because they are improperly diagnosed or simply ignored by your primary care physician.
If you suffer from inexplicable neck and shoulder pain, chronic headaches, tinnitus or experience facial pain and have ruled out more serious conditions, a neuromuscular dentist may be able to help you with a number of TMJ treatment options.
The treatment options are primarily determined by the type of TMJ disorder you are suffering. Most neuromuscular dentists agree that there are three main categories of TMJ disorder:
Myofacial pain is the most common and is associated with facial and muscle pain in your jaw joints
Misalignment of the jaw joint due to dislocation or injury
Degenerative jaw joint disease like osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis
Jaw alignment is the primary problem that leads to TMJ disorders. When your jaw is out of alignment, a condition known as malocclusion, it puts stress on one or both joints, which are designed to work in tandem. The primary job of a neuromuscular dentist is to try to find your ideal jaw position and help you restore your jaw alignment.
In general, your neuromuscular dentist will attempt the most conservative treatment options first to see if it helps relieve your symptoms. Conservative treatments are those that you can do quickly and easily.
More serious TMJ disorders may require intensive treatment to correct. These may include treatments like splints or orthotic devices, used to move your jaw into proper alignment. Some patients do fine with this. Others need more long-term, irreversible treatment options. Irreversible treatment options include changes to your bite using restorations or other dental procedures including:
Dental implants
Crowns and bridges
Orthodontics
If more conservative options fail to alleviate the pain and discomfort you are experiencing, cortisone injections or surgical treatments may be considered. The specific type of surgery will be determined on the degree of injury and the exact nature of TMJ disorder you are experiencing.
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