TMJ Disorders
What is a TMJ Disorder?
TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorders are in a family of problems related to your complex jaw joint, which connects your jaw to your skull. Symptoms occur when the joints of the jaw and the chewing muscles do not work together correctly. Since some types of TMJ problems can lead to more serious conditions, early detection and treatment is important.
No single treatment can resolve TMJ disorders completely, and treatment takes time to become effective.Trouble With Your Jaw?
TMJ disorders develop for many reasons.
- You might clench or grind your teeth, tightening your jaw muscles and stressing your TM joint.
- You may have a damaged jaw joint due to injury or disease.
- Injuries and arthritis can damage the joint directly or stretch or tear the muscle ligaments.
Whatever the cause, the results may include a misaligned bite, pain, clicking, or grating noise when you open your mouth or have trouble opening your mouth wide.
Have Symptoms of TMJ? Contact our office today to schedule an appointment!
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TMJ Symptoms
- Are you aware of grinding or clenching your teeth?
- Do you wake up with sore, stiff muscles around your jaws?
- Do you have frequent headaches or neck aches?
- Does the pain get worse when you clench your teeth?
- Does stress make your clenching and pain worse?
- Does your jaw click, pop, grate, catch, or lock when you open your mouth?
- Is it difficult or painful to open your mouth, eat or yawn?
- Have you ever injured your neck, head or jaws?
- Have you had problems (such as arthritis) with your joints?
- Do you have teeth that no longer touch when you bite?
- Do your teeth meet differently from time to time?
- Is it hard to use your front teeth to bite or tear food?
- Are your teeth sensitive, loose, broken or worn?
TMJ Treatment
There are various treatment options that Dr. Howerton, Dr. Hopkin, Dr. Kennedy, Dr. Clark and Dr. Howerton can utilize to improve the harmony and function of your jaw. Once an evaluation confirms a diagnosis of TMJ disorder, Drs. Howerton, Hopkin, Kennedy, Clark and Howerton will determine the proper course of treatment. It is important to note that treatment always works best with a team approach of self-care joined with professional care.
The initial goals are to relieve the muscle spasm and joint pain. This is usually accomplished with a pain reliever, anti-inflammatory, or muscle relaxant. Steroids can be injected directly into the joints to reduce pain and inflammation. Self-care treatments can often be effective as well and include:
- Resting your jaw
- Keeping your teeth apart when you are not swallowing or eating
- Eating soft foods
- Applying ice and heat
- Exercising your jaw
- Practicing good posture
Stress management techniques, such as biofeedback or physical therapy, may also be recommended, as well as a temporary, clear plastic appliance known as a splint. A splint (or nightguard) fits over your top or bottom teeth and helps keep your teeth apart, thereby relaxing the muscles and reducing pain. A nightguard helps you stop clenching or grinding your teeth and reduces muscle tension at night and helps to protect the cartilage and joint surfaces. An anterior positioning appliance moves your jaw forward, relieves pressure on parts of your jaw, and aids in disk repositioning. It may be worn 24 hours/day to help your jaw heal. An orthotic stabilization appliance is worn 24 hours/day or just at night to move your jaw into proper position. Appliances also help to protect from tooth wear.
What About Bite Correction or Surgery?
If your TMJ disorder has caused problems with how your teeth fit together, you may need treatment such as bite adjustment (equilibration), orthodontics with or without jaw reconstruction, or restorative dental work. Surgical options such as arthroscopy and open joint repair restructuring are sometimes needed but are reserved for severe cases. Drs. Howerton, Hopkin, Kennedy, Clark and Howerton do not consider TMJ surgery unless the jaw cannot open, is dislocated and nonreducible, has severe degeneration, or the patient has undergone appliance treatment unsuccessfully.
Peak Implant & Oral Surgery
Patient Review
Doc Howerton and his staff are top shelf. My main nurse sat with me before the procedure and made me feel comfortable the whole. She wheeled me into the procedure room where I was met by several other nurses that where also friendly professional and caring. The doc was sure of himself and very good. Didn't feel the IV line and it was over before I knew it. He came in after to check on me and gave me a little more local for pain. 6 hours later and I'm feeling great. Thank you so much for being a top notch business.
- Bill C.
Patient Review
My wife had her first appointment about two years ago and she got to see Dr. Kennedy. My wife is a Coumadin patient and so some special concerns are necessary. Dr. Kennedy had to extract one tooth, which he did with the very best of care. He also called at 8:00 PM that evening to make sure all was well and that she was comfortable, what a wonderful gesture on his part. Last month, on a Sunday evening, my wife was chewing some pistachios and lost most of the top of one of her teeth almost to the gum line. Monday morning very early we went to see if she could see Dr. Kennedy, but he wasn't in that day, so Dr. Howerton said that he would work her in and he did that within about a half hour. After examining her it was determined that he would need to extract two teeth. My wife suffered very little discomfort from the procedure and the staff was just wonderful. At about 8:00 PM we received a personal call from him wanting to make sure she was fine and comfortable. We cannot praise the Dr. Kennedy or Dr. Howerton or their staff enough.
- Robert T.
