Are you suffering from temporary mandibular joint disorder (TMJ)? Our Ogden dental office provides treatments for TMJ and we will be able to help you with other dental problems that can cause you stress, pain, and prevent you from living your life to the fullest. TMJ has a number of different symptoms that can often become difficult to treat without the right methods. Fortunately Dr. Green and Dr. Larson have years of experience diagnosing and treating TMJ and we will be able to help!
At Home Treatments for TMD/TMJ
For patients dealing with minor problems related to TMD/TMJ, it is important to follow at-home treatments that will reduce pain and prevent the condition from getting worse. Here are some of the common treatments we recommend:
- Eat soft foods – soft foods will not require the jaw to open and close largely, or to use a lot of force to chew, which can make the pain worse.
- Reduce stress – another important thing you need to do is reduce your stress burden. TMD/TMJ has been linked to stress as it causes people to hold their mouths tensely and can even cause people to grind their teeth.
- Use ice packs and heat – a number of patients have been able to find relief by rotating ice packs and heat as it helps to reduce the pain from TMD/TMJ. The heat and ice help to relax the tight muscles and prevent it from getting worse.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication – ibuprofen will assist in relieving muscle pain and swelling.
- Splints – we can design a splint or mouthguard to fit over your teeth, preventing you from grinding your teeth together. Mouthguards are typically worn at night and are designed to take pressure off the jaw joints and muscles so they can relax and heal.
The above treatments are designed to relieve your pain, but do not always cure TMD/TMJ. If the symptoms worsen or continue returning, call our dental office immediately for further treatment.
Dental Treatments for TMD/TMJ
When you visit our dental office for TMJ treatments, we can identify the severity of your condition and will recommend the proper treatments for your health. Here are some of the common dental treatments used for patients dealing with severe TMD/TMJ:
- Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) – This treatment uses a low-level electrical current to relax the jaw joint and facial muscles.
- Ultrasound – This treatment is applied to the joint and uses deep heat to relax the muscles.
- Trigger point injections – Injections use pain medication to inset into the muscles to relieve pain. Simple stretching is used to reduce the muscle pain.
- Surgery – For patients suffering from persistent pain, surgery is often one of the best treatments to relieve pain. Structural problems can cause pain within the jaw joint, and surgery is the only way to treat the pain.
Advanced Treatment for TMD/TMJ
There are a number of surgery treatments to assist with pain. Arthroscopy is a treatment performed by a surgeon when a patient is under general anesthesia. The surgeon will adjust the disk or the condyle during surgery to properly repair the problems.
Open Joint Surgery
Through the use of video monitors and other equipment, a surgeon will be able to repair problems causing TMD/TMJ. Open joint surgery is slightly more invasive if other health conditions are identified during treatment. Some patients will end up with tumors in or around the jaw. Since this surgery is more invasive, it will take longer for patients to heal from this type of surgery.
Call Ben Lomond Dental today to schedule an examination for TMD/TMJ. Our friendly staff is here to help and prevent you from living with painful conditions.
