TMJ Treatment
Nampa, ID
TMJ Treatment provided by Dr. Christensen
and Dr. Sipes
in Nampa, ID at Middle Creek Dental
 The temporomandibular joint, often called TMJ, is the sliding hinge that connects your lower jawbone to the skull. There is one joint on each side of the jaw, and both work in unison to control the movement of the lower jaws. Unfortunately, the TMJ joint is prone to various disorders that cause pain in the joints and muscles. Visit us at Middle Creek Dental to diagnose and treat your TMJ.
What Is TMJ Disorder?
The TMJ primarily controls the movement of your jaws. Your jaws need to move when you chew, yawn, speak, and swallow, among other mouth functions. However, several conditions affect your jaw joints and the surrounding muscles. There are several dysfunctions associated with the TMJ, including jaw pain, headaches, and the challenges of opening and closing your mouth. According to the Cleveland Clinic, about 5 percent to 12 percent of the general adult population suffer from one TMJ disorder or another. It is twice as common in women than in men, and it starts at any age between 20 and 40 years.
Classifications of TMJ Disorders
Any issue that prevents the functioning of the TMJ joints while causing you chronic facial pain is a TMJ disorder. The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research provides three classifications of TMJ disorders.
Myofascial Pain
Myofascial pain is the most common form of TMJ disorder. Myofascial pain results from pain in the connective tissue that covers the muscles that control the functioning of the neck, jaws, and shoulders.
Internal Derangement of the Joint
Internal derangement of the joint is another type of TMJ disorder that occurs when the jaw is dislocated or the disk is displaced. In this context, the disk refers to the cushion of cartilage found between the head of the jawbone and the skull. Internal derangement of the joint also occurs when you have an injury to the rounded end of the jaw that is articulated with the temporal skull bone.
Degenerative Joint Disease
TMJ disorders can also occur as a result of degenerative diseases that affect the joints, such as rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis in the jaw joints. It is possible to suffer from any of these three types of TMJ disorders.
Common Causes of TMJ Disorders
The classification of TMJ disorders reveals a trend that points to its common causes. You are most likely to experience TMJ disorders as a result of a physical injury to the face, arthritis affecting the facial joints, clenching your teeth a little tightly during sleep, autoimmune diseases, infections, and dental surgery.
A few cases of TMJ disorders have been associated with genetic, hormonal, and environmental issues. For example, a violinist is highly likely to suffer from a TMJ disorder because they spend much time holding the violin under the jaw. The violin can cause some strain on the jaw, leading to a type of TMJ disorder. Because women also experience TMJ disorders at a higher rate, researchers are still trying to find out if there is a link between the female hormone estrogen and TMJ disorders.
Common TMJ Symptoms
There are several symptoms associated with TMJ. They include the following:
Pain
One of the first unmistakable signs of the TMJ disorder is the pain you will feel when moving your jaws. This pain can be accompanied by other symptoms, such as intense headaches or migraines, pain in the neck, backache, or pain around the ear that also envelopes the cheeks. During your visit to our practice, our dentist will only diagnose TMJ disorder when there is a certain presence of pain in your jaws.
Sound
The TMJ disorder can also manifest through painless symptoms. You might perceive an unusual clicking, popping, or grinding noise that occurs when you open your mouth, eat, or even talk. However, the sounds that you hear when you move your jaw may not necessarily be a symptom of TMJ disorders. Jaws tend to make noises at other times, and they only signify the existence of TMJ disorders when the sounds occur alongside pain or when you try to move your jaw. Other sounds that could signify the existence of TMJ disorders are buzzing, ringing, or numbness in your ears.
Restricted Movement
Your mouth should move uninhibited, and if you notice that the movements in your mouth are limited from opening fully or the jaw does not move in certain directions, there is a high chance that you have a TMJ disorder. You may also feel that your jaw is stuck in one place.
TMJ Treatment
TMJ disorders can be treated in a variety of ways. Some of these include:
Lifestyle Changes and Self-care
Many people have successfully treated TMJ disorders on their own without seeking any medical intervention. Self-care routines and a few changes to your lifestyle can cause mild to moderate TMJ symptoms. Some of these routines are as simple as reducing excess movements of your jaw, like avoiding chewing gum, eating soft foods, and not clenching or tensing your jaw. You can also find someone to give you gentle rubs on the affected muscles around the jaw. Resting and doing slight exercises on the jaw can relieve some of the TMJ symptoms of disorders.
Treating TMJ Symptoms
If our dentist determines that you have a TMJ disorder caused by pre-existing conditions, they will recommend specific treatments. For instance, if your TMJ was caused by clenching or teeth grinding, you will need a mouth guard to ease the symptoms. If our dentist determines that your TMJ disorder is a result of osteoarthritis, you might need steroid injections as the most suitable treatment option. In some cases, our dentist will recommend over-the-counter pain medications to reduce any discomfort caused by TMJ disorders.
Surgery
You might need a surgical intervention when your TMJ disorder falls under the category of extreme cases. For example, a TMJ disorder can be caused by damage to the joint itself or the muscles around the jaw are damaged. These are considered extreme cases that require surgical interventions to restore the perfect function of your jaw.
We Can Help You With TMJ Disorder
TMJ disorders are typically not serious, and most symptoms tend to pass after a couple of months without causing significant discomfort. Visit us at Middle Creek Dental to discuss your TMJ issues and the possible remedies. Contact us at (208) 505-9975 to schedule your appointment today. |
