Your temporomandibular joints are hinge that joins your jaw with the temporal skull bones that are located just in front of each ear. It allows you to move your jaw upwards and down, and the other way around, so that it is possible to talk, chew and even smile.
Jaw problems and the muscles within your face that regulate it are referred to as temporomandibular problems (TMD). However, you might get it wrongly referred to as TMJ in reference to the joint.
What causes TMD?
We aren’t sure what causes TMD. Dentists think that the symptoms are caused by muscle problems in your jaw or components of the joint.
Damage to your jaw, joint or the muscles in your neck and headsuch as from a violent whiplash or blow could result in TMD. Other causes are:
Clenching or grinding your teeth puts lots of pressure on your joint.
Movement of the disc or cushion between the socket and ball of the joint
Joint arthritis
Stress, which may result in tightening of your facial jaw muscles, or even bite your teeth
What are the symptoms?
TMD typically causes extreme discomfort and pain. It could be short-term or continue for years. It can be affecting either or both sides of the facial area. Women are more likely to suffer from this condition, which is the most frequent among people between 20 and 40.
Common symptoms are:
The tenderness or pain you feel in your the jaw joint the neck and shoulders and even around your ears when you chew or talk or widen your mouth.
Issues when you try to expand your mouth
Jaws that “stuck” in a “lock” when they are in the closed or open mouth or closed-mouth
The sound of popping, clicking or grating sounds inside the jaw joint whenever you close or open the jaw or chew. This could or might not be painful.
An exhausted feeling on your face
Problems chewing or an discomfort in the bite, as when the lower and upper teeth aren’t blending correctly. Find out more about the advantages and disadvantages of tooth aligning surgical treatment.
A swelling that is visible on the sides of your face
It is also possible to experience toothaches and neck pains dizziness, earaches upper shoulder pain and ear ringing (tinnitus).
What Is TMD Diagnosed?
A variety of other ailments can have similar symptoms such as dental decay, sinus issues or arthritis. These can also cause gum disease. To determine what’s causing yours, your dentist will inquire about your medical history as well as conduct an examination of your body.
They’ll inspect your jaw joints for discomfort or tenderness. They’ll also be aware of pops, clicks or grating sounds as you move the joints. They’ll also check to see if your jaw functions as it should and doesn’t get locked when you close or open your mouth. Additionally, they’ll check your bite and test for issues in your facial muscles.
The dentist might take full facial X-rays in order to look at your jaws, temporomandibular joint and teeth in order to determine if there are possible issues. It is possible that they will need to perform other tests, such as Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computer tomography (CT). The MRI will show whether you’re TMJ discs are in correct place as the jaw is moving. A CT scan can show the bony structure that the joint.
It is possible to be the help of the oral surgeon (also known as or maxillofacial and oral doctor) to get further care and treatment. The doctor is specialized in surgical procedures all over the mouth, face and jaw region. It is also possible to see an orthodontist in order to make sure that your muscles, teeth, and joints are functioning as they ought to.
How to relieve TMD joint pain – home remedies
There are some things you can do yourself to ease TMD symptoms. The doctor might suggest that you test these treatments in conjunction.
Use over-the-counter medicines. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) such as naproxen and ibuprofen, are able to reduce swelling and muscle pain.
Make use of humid heat and cold compresses. Apply an ice pack on the face’s side and the temples for approximately 10 minutes. Do a few easy jaw stretching exercises (if your doctor or physical therapist approves of the exercises). After you’ve completed the exercise, put an ice-cold washcloth or towel against your face for approximately five minutes. Repeat this process several times per day.
Consume soft food. Include dairy products, potatoes mashed soup, cottage cheese, scrambled eggs and fish, cooked fruits along with vegetables, legumes and grains to your diet. Cut food into smaller pieces to are less likely to chew. Avoid hard, crunchy food (like raw carrots or pretzels) and chewy food (like caramels and Taffy) as well as large or thick pieces of food that require you to cut wide.
Avoid jaw movements that cause extreme pain. Restrict chewing and yawning (especially chewing gum and the ice) as low as you can. Also, refrain from screaming, yelling or do anything else that causes you to open your jaw the mouth wide.
Do not rest your chin on your hands. Do not place the smartphone between your shoulders and your ear. Maintain a good posture to lessen facial and neck pain.
Keep your teeth a little apart every time you can. This can ease tension to your jaw. Place your mouth between the teeth to stop grinding or clenching during the day.
Learn techniques to relax and relax your jaw. Consult your dentist if require massage or physical therapy. You might want to consider treatments for stress reduction and biofeedback.
Traditional Treatments
Consult your dentist about the most effective treatments for TMD:
Medications. Your dentist could prescribe stronger doses of NSAIDs in case you require them to treat swelling and pain. They may suggest an esoteric muscle relaxer to ease your jaw when you grind or grind your teeth. A medication for anxiety to ease anxiety, which can bring to TMD. In lower doses, they can also aid in the reduction or control of the pain. The anti-anxiety and muscle relaxants and antidepressants are all available through prescription only.
A night guard or splint. The mouthpieces made of plastic can be placed over your lower and upper teeth to ensure that they do not contact. They can lessen the effect of grinding or clenching and also correct your bite by placing the teeth into a appropriate place. What is the difference between them? You wear night guards when you are sleeping. A splint is used throughout the day. Your dentist will inform you what type you require.
Dental work. The dentist can repair missing teeth, and also use bridges, crowns, or braces to even out the bite surfaces of your teeth, or to fix a bite issue. Find out more about the causes of an overbite, as knowing when an overbite should be accepted as normal.
Other Treatments
If the above-mentioned treatments aren’t working your dentist might suggest one or one or
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). This treatment uses low-frequency electrical currents that provide relief from pain by relaxing the jaw muscles and joint. It can be performed at the dental office or at home.
Ultrasound. A deep heat application to joints can ease stiffness and improve mobility.
Trigger-point injections. Anesthesia or pain medication is injections into the muscles of the face that are known as “trigger point” to provide relief.
Radiowave therapy. Radio waves stimulate joint and increase blood flow and relieves pain.
The low-level treatment is laser therapy. This reduces inflammation and pain and allows you to move your neck more easily and expand your mouth more.
Surgery to treat TMD
If the other options don’t work for you, surgery may be an alternative. Once the surgery is done the procedure can’t be reversed and you should seek an additional or even a third opinions from different dentists.
There are three kinds of surgeries to treat TMD. The kind you require depends on the condition.
Arthrocentesis is recommended if there is no medical history of TMJ however the jaws of your mouth are locked. This is a relatively simple procedure your dentist will perform at their office. They’ll administer general anesthesia, and then place needles into the joint to cleanse it. They might use a specially-designed device to remove damaged tissue, or remove discs that are that is stuck inside the joint or even to release the joint.
Arthroscopy is a procedure that uses an arthroscope. This particular tool comes with an optical lens and a laser on it. It allows the doctor to look the inside of your joint. The patient will be given general anesthesia and then your doctor will cut a small hole across your ears and insert the device. It’ll be connected to a video monitor to allow them to examine the joint and the space within it. They might remove the inflamed tissues as well as realigning the disc joint. This kind of surgery is referred to as minimally invasive leaves an enlargement of the scar, comes with less complications, and has less recovery time as compared to major surgeries.
Open-joint surgery. Depending on the root of the TMD arthroscopy may not be a possibility. It is possible to require this kind of procedure if:
The bony structures inside the jaw joint wear down.
There are tumors around the joint.
The joint you are in is damaged or filled with bone chips
The patient will be given general anesthesia and then your doctor will open the entire region around the joint to ensure they have a wider view and more access. It will take longer for healing after surgery to open the joint as well as more possibility of scarring and nerve damage.
