Temporomandibular Joint Problems (TMJ)
Many people have difficulties with their jaw joints. This can be brought on due to various reasons including:
- Traumatic injury to jaw, face or neck
- Stress
- Clenching or grinding your teeth
- Destructive oral habits
- Poor alignment of teeth
- Poorly fitting dental restorations
- Arthritis
Fortunately, for most people, the problem is self limiting, meaning that it lasts for a period of time and won’t necessarily get progressively worse. It seems to be more prevalent in women and most common from the late teenage years until middle age. Young children are rarely affected. The elderly may have arthritic joint changes which may be uncomfortable or may limit function. The daily use of our jaws with talking and eating does help to keep things functioning pretty well. For most people with jaw problems, we try to help them to control their symptoms during uncomfortable times. We try not to do any irreversible dental treatment with the purpose of correcting these problems. Many simply go away after a while; some problems return from time to time; others have fairly consistent problems.
First, we recommend that you try to modify some habits:
- Try to avoid clenching your teeth
- Do not use your teeth to hold things, or as a tool
- Avoid opening your mouth widely, especially to take a large bite of food
- Avoid putting pressure on your chin, as in propping your chin on your hands
- Stay away from chewing hard, crunchy foods
- Do not chew gum, or any other items that require lots of repetitive chewing motions
We also recommend:
- For painful jaw muscles: cold compresses or ice massages 3-4 times per day
- For stiff jaw muscles: warm, moist heat compresses, especially in the A.M.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [ibuprofen] if tolerated and not interacting with other current medications… call us for detailed advice
The above can help you through a mild phase of TMJ discomfort. If the problem persists, we may need to consider evaluation for more advanced help, such as bite splint therapy at our office. We also consider referral for massage therapy, physical therapy and others on an individual basis.
