Understanding and Treating TMJ Disorders (TMD) at Gasior Family Dental
Suppose you experience ongoing pain near your ear, jaw, or facial muscles, possibly accompanied by a clicking or popping sound or restricted jaw movement. In that case, you may be suffering from Temporomandibular disorders (TMD).
Sometimes, people incorrectly use the term TMJ to refer to these problems when, in fact, TMJ is the abbreviation for the Temporomandibular Joint—or jaw joint—itself. TMD describes a group of conditions characterized by pain and dysfunction of the TMJ and/or the muscles surrounding it.
It’s not always easy to figure out precisely what’s causing these symptoms, but the good news is that most TMD cases resolve themselves with the help of conservative remedies you can try at home. It’s important to exhaust all such reversible remedies before moving on to anything irreversible, such as bridgework or surgery.
The Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ)
The two TMJs that connect your lower jaw (the mandible) to the temporal bone of the skull on either side are very complex joints that allow movement in three dimensions. The lower jaw and temporal bone fit together as a ball and socket, with a cushioning disk in between. Any of these parts—the disk, the muscles, or the joint itself—can become the source of a TMJ disorder (TMD). If you are in pain or have difficulty opening or closing your jaw, a thorough examination at Gasior Family Dental can help pinpoint the problem area.
Causes of TMD
As with any other joint, the TMJ can be subject to orthopedic problems, including inflammation, sore muscles, strained tendons and ligaments, and disk problems. TMD is also influenced by:
- Genes, gender (women appear more prone to it), and age.
- Physical and psychological stress.
- In some cases, jaw pain may be related to a more widespread, pain-inducing medical condition such as fibromyalgia.
Signs and Symptoms of TMD
Clicking Sounds
Some people with TMD hear a clicking, popping, or grating sound coming from the TMJ when opening or closing the mouth. This is usually caused by a shifting of the disk inside the joint. Clicking alone is not a significant symptom, as studies show one-third of all people have jaw joints that click. However, if the clicking is accompanied by pain or limited jaw function—the jaw getting “stuck” in an open or closed position, for example—this would indicate a need for TMD treatment.
Muscle Pain
This can be felt in the cheeks (masseter muscles) and temples (temporalis muscles). Feeling sore and stiff upon waking up in the morning is often related to habits such as clenching and/or grinding the teeth at night (bruxism). If you have this nocturnal habit, a custom-made nightguard from your Ann Arbor dentist should be very helpful in decreasing the force applied to your teeth. This will, in turn, allow your muscles to relax and relieve pressure on your jaw joints.
Joint Pain (Arthritis)
Pain that’s coming from one or both jaw joints technically would be described as arthritis of the TMJ. While there is no cure for arthritis, medication can sometimes help relieve arthritic symptoms. It’s important to note that symptoms of pain and dysfunction do not always perfectly align with what is seen on radiographs (X-ray pictures).
Relieving the Pain (Conservative Treatment)
Once you have been examined at Gasior Family Dental, a strategy for treating your condition and managing your pain can be developed. Conservative, reversible treatments should always be the first step:
- A temporary change to a softer diet can reduce stress on the muscles and joints.
- Ice and/or moist heat can help relieve soreness and inflammation.
- Gentle stretching exercises can help muscles in spasms.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) and muscle relaxants can also provide relief.
- Using a custom nightguard (as mentioned above) is highly effective for reducing nocturnal forces.
Other Treatment Options
Severe TMD cases may require more complex forms of treatment, including orthodontics, dental restorations like bridgework, or minor procedures inside the joint, such as cortisone injections or lavage (flushing). It’s rare for major surgery ever to be necessary in a case of TMD. Again, it’s essential to try the wide range of conservative, reversible treatments available, as they almost always prove effective. The first step is an examination at the dental office.