TMJ / TMD Therapy
Relief from Chronic Jaw Pain & Headaches
Your temporomandibular joint, or TMJ, refers to the set of hinges on your jaw that allows it to move smoothly whenever you eat, speak, laugh, or yawn. Like other joints in the body, it can sometimes become strained or misaligned, leading to what is called a TMD, or temporomandibular joint disorder. This can cause a wide variety of dental and overall health problems, so if a stiff, painful jaw or persistent migraines are common issues for you, you should contact Dr. Gabriel Nossa today to get the relief you need.
Diagnosis & Treatment
A TMD can be caused by a wide variety of factors, but the most common tend to be stress, injury, arthritis, and a misalignment of the bite. When the teeth don’t quite come together properly, this causes the jaw to make slight adjustments whenever you open and close your mouth, and this puts quite a bit of strain on the joint and adjoining muscles. When you come to see us and we suspect that you have TMD, we’ll use a variety of tests and scans to reveal the root of your problem so we can quickly start treating it.
Equilibration / Occlusal Adjustments
When the bite is slightly misaligned, this can sometimes cause muscle tension and pain in the jaw. In order to align the bite and relieve this discomfort, we can perform what is called an equilibration/occlusal adjustment. Despite that being a mouthful, the treatment only entails slightly reshaping a few teeth in order to help your bite come together smoothly. This will allow the jaw muscles to relax, and the pain should eventually go away.
Occlusal Splints
We can also prescribe the use of an occlusal splint, which is a custom-made orthopedic mouthpiece that slightly shifts the jaw into a more comfortable and natural position. This will allow the joint and muscles to relax and heal themselves over time. Many patients are able to stop wearing a splint after a few months of use, though others will need to keep wearing it in order to maintain results.
TMJ Treatment FAQs
Can TMJ Be Cured Permanently?
Discomfort associated with TMJ disorder can sometimes go away on its own over time. However, if your symptoms are having a significant impact on your everyday life, you will want to visit a professional for treatment. Occlusal splints and occlusal adjustments/equilibration are both designed to permanently address the jaw tension, misalignment, or other underlying causes of TMD, resulting in lasting relief.
Is TMJ Treatment Safe?
Once you are receiving TMJ treatment from a qualified professional, the process should be completely safe. However, it is often recommended to treat TMJ disorder with as minimally invasive and conservative methods as possible. Occlusal splints and equilibration/occlusal adjustments have both been proven to be overwhelmingly safe for addressing TMD.
How Long Does TMJ Treatment Take?
While some at-home jaw exercises can provide immediate yet temporary relief, long-term relief typically requires treatment from a medical professional. The timeline depends on the specific treatments necessary, which can vary based on the cause and severity of your TMJ disorder. Occlusal splints are worn at night for a few weeks to several months before patients notice their symptoms being alleviated. Equilibration/occlusal adjustments can vary in how quickly they provide relief, depending on the changes to be made. However, once the bite is better aligned, most patients experience some relief very soon afterward.
Does Occlusal Adjustment for TMJ Hurt?
No matter which changes need to be made to properly align your teeth, we will make sure your treatment is as comfortable as possible. In most cases, occlusal adjustment is performed by precisely filing down the biting surfaces of the teeth or restorations that protrude and throw off the bite’s overall balance. This is done to alleviate stress on the jaw joints without negatively impacting your oral health. In some cases, occlusal adjustment can involve adding to existing dental structures. Depending on your case, we may or may not need to administer a local anesthetic to numb your mouth beforehand.