Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ), also commonly known as temporomandibular (TMD) disorder, is a common health condition that affects several people worldwide, including teenagers and adults. The TMJ is the delicate hinge that connects your lower and upper jawbone to the skull on each side of the face.

This joint health is vital because it helps you move your jaw up and down when talking and chewing. When the health of the joint or the muscle that controls it is affected, it could lead to bothersome pain and discomfort, also known as TMJ or TMD.

While it could seem minor initially, this issue can deteriorate with time when left untreated, necessitating more complex and expensive treatments like surgery. If you have trouble chewing or speaking due to jaw pain, you should contact the Los Angeles Advanced Dentistry because there is a chance that you have TMJ disorder.

Common Causes of TMD/TMJ Disorder

Generally speaking, the exact cause of TMJ disorder can be challenging to pinpoint due to its multifaceted nature. Most dental experts argue that the discomfort and pain could be due to various health issues affecting your jawbone muscles and different parts of your TMJ. Nonetheless, below are several factors that could contribute to its development:

Jaw Injury

The normal functioning of the TMJ can be disrupted by trauma to your jaw, leading to discomfort and altered mechanics. Common causes of jaw injuries include auto accidents or sport-related accidents.

Teeth Grinding or Clenching

Habitual grinding or clenching of teeth, also known as bruxism, can strain your jaw muscles and the TMJ, causing bothersome symptoms like pain and clicking sounds when you speak. To prevent the issue from deteriorating, you should consult a dentist to check the problem because the discomfort will worsen with continuous clenching and grinding of teeth.

When left untreated, continuous clenching and grinding of your teeth could lead to long-lasting facial pain, migraines, dental fractures, and lifelong TMJ problems.

TMJ Arthritis

Infectious arthritis, traumatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis could all lead to the development of TMJ disorders. The remedy for TMJ-related arthritis will depend on the type of arthritis you have and the symptoms you are experiencing.

Malocclusion or Bad Bite

Also known as malocclusion, a bad bite is another common cause of TMJ disorders. It occurs when the teeth on the upper jaw do not align well with those on the lower jaw. When you have misaligned teeth or a bad bite, everyday activities like speaking and chewing could exert excessive strain or pressure on your TMJ, leading to bothersome symptoms.

If a bad bite is causing your TMJ disorder, your dentist or orthodontist will recommend teeth or jaw alignment to prevent the discomfort you are experiencing.

Muscle Spasms

Displacement of your TMJ disc can also cause a misaligned bite, straining your jaw when performing its usual duties, like chewing. When left unchecked, the continuous strain on your TMJ can eventually result in TMJ disorders.

Infections

Dental or any other infection around your mouth, like gum disease, could also affect your TMJ, causing restricted movement and discomfort near the affected area.

Hormonal Changes

Hormonal changes that occur when a woman is pregnant or during menstruation could also affect your TMJ. In most cases, women aged 18 to 44 are more likely to develop TMJ disorders due to hormonal imbalances.

While in most cases, you cannot control factors that cause TMJ disorders, you need to beware of habits that could make your TMJ worse, such as:

  • Poor postures
  • Using your teeth as a tool, like opening a soda bottle
  • Chewing pencils and pens
  • Chewing an ice cube
  • Taking big food bites
  • Sleeping on your stomach
  • Clenching your teeth during the day

To know the proper treatment for your unique TMJ issue, your dentist must pinpoint the cause of the problem.

Common Symptoms Associated With TMJ Disorders

The symptoms of TMJ disorder will vary significantly depending on the person and the cause of his/her condition. Discomfort and pain around your jaws and neck area are the common symptoms of TMJ. Other symptoms associated with TMJ disorders include the following:

  • Recurring headaches or migraines
  • Jaw locking or limited jaw movement
  • Facial pain
  • Jaw stiffness
  • Muscle tenderness
  • Toothache and tooth sensitivity
  • Tinnitus
  • Earaches
  • Popping or clicking jaw sounds, especially when closing or opening your mouth
  • Dizziness
  • Facial swelling
  • Challenges opening your mouth or chewing food
  • Malocclusion

If you have experienced any of the above symptoms, you should speak with a reliable dentist as soon as possible. A seasoned dentist can conduct a thorough diagnosis to pinpoint the cause of the issue and recommend appropriate treatment. During your initial appointment, your dentist will ask you some questions to clearly understand what could be causing your problem.

For example, your dentist could ask when you started experiencing the symptoms unique to your condition and medical history. Ensure you give him/her correct answers and ask any question you have about your unique TMJ issue and what to expect during the treatment.

How a Dentist Will Perform TMJ Diagnosis

Your dentist could need more than your medical record to diagnose a TMD or TMJ issue because symptoms of this condition could sometimes mimic other health conditions, like sinus problems and gum disease. Since the symptoms of TMJ are diverse, no specific test can help diagnose your unique condition.

Therefore, the dentist will ultimately rely on his/her experience and skills to perform a conclusive diagnosis. Generally speaking, during your routine dental visits, your dentist will do the following to diagnose TMJ disorders:

  • Observe your range of motion when opening and closing your mouth
  • Feel your jaw joints as you open and shut your mouth
  • Press your jaw and face to find areas causing the discomfort

For a precise picture of your jaws’ condition and other structures that surround them, your dentist will also take some imaging tests, such as:

  • X-ray
  • Computed tomography (CT) scans
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
  • TMJ arthroscopy

TMJ Treatment Options

After conducting a thorough diagnosis, your dentist can recommend appropriate treatment. The ideal treatment for a TMJ disorder will depend on various factors, including the cause of your issue and the pain severity.

Most dentists will first try managing the TMJ symptoms using noninvasive treatments like medication. However, if the symptoms persist or worsen, jaw surgery could be necessary to fix the issue. Below is an overview of the treatment options your oral surgeon or orthodontist could recommend if you have a TMJ disorder:

  1. Medications

Your dentist could recommend various types of OTC (over-the-counter) medications and prescription drugs to help reduce the bothersome symptoms of TMJ disorder. Examples of these medications include:

  • Muscle relaxers for people with teeth-clenching or grinding habit
  • Painkillers like acetaminophen
  • Antidepressants
  • Muscle relaxers

It was worth noting that some medications, like antidepressants, could cause bruxism. Therefore, you should talk to your physician about the benefits and risks of certain drugs.

  1. Non-Surgical Treatments

The following non-surgical treatments can also help alleviate the symptoms caused by a TMJ disorder:

A Mouth Guard

A dental appliance like a mouth guard can help reduce the pressure caused by teeth grinding on your jaws or push your jaws into a more favorable position. While you can purchase this dental appliance OTC, a reliable dentist will make a custom mouthguard to help fix your issue.

Physical Therapy

Your dentist will show you exercises you can gently perform to stretch your jaws and strengthen surrounding muscles.

Trigger Point Injections

As the name suggests, this treatment involves injecting substances, like botulinum toxin and corticosteroids, into the painful and bothersome muscle knots in your jaw.

Ultrasound Therapy

This cutting-edge technology uses sound waves to introduce heat deep into the affected tissues, increasing blood circulation and promoting muscle relaxation.

Behavioral Changes

Behavioral changes are about adjusting your lifestyle, which could be triggering the symptoms of TMJ. For example, you can start by avoiding ice and improving your posture.

Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation (TENS)

This treatment method involves the application of low-level electrical current to help relax your affected jaw muscles.

  1. Surgical TMJ Treatments

Sometimes, the non-surgical treatments described above and medications could fail to reduce your TMJ symptoms. In that case, your dentist will likely recommend surgical treatments to fix the problem. Below are different types of surgical TMJ treatments your dentist, orthodontist, or oral surgeon could recommend depending on your unique problem:

Arthrocentesis

Arthrocentesis could be ideal if your jaws are locked and you do not have a record of TMD disorders. During this procedure, your dentist will use a needle to remove fluid from the affected joint and reduce your symptoms. Since your dentist will perform the procedure under local anesthesia, you will not feel any pain during treatment.

Arthroscopy

During this surgical procedure, the dentist will make a small incision in front of the ear and insert a thin, hollow tube inside, also known as an arthroscope. This specialized tool has a light and camera to help your dentist perform precise treatment. Through the tube, your dentist will insert surgical tools to reshape your bone or reposition the affected disc in the joint.

Fortunately, this surgery is minimally invasive, meaning it will leave you with a minor scar, has few possible complications, and will require a shorter recovery period than open-joint surgery.

Open-Joint Surgery

If arthroscopy is not an excellent option, open-joint surgery could be necessary to fix or alleviate your TMJ symptoms. During this surgery, the oral surgeon will make a long incision to allow him/her to have direct access to the joint. Then, he/she will correct misalignment and wipe out any infected tissue causing discomfort or pain.

Your oral surgeon or orthodontist is more likely to recommend this procedure if any of the following facts are accurate:

  • The structure of your bone is wearing away
  • Your TMJ is chipped or scarred
  • You have developed a tumor around the joint

Modified Condylotomy

Your oral surgeon will perform this surgery on the lower jaw (the mandible) instead of the joint to help reduce jaw locking and ease your TMJ symptoms.

Home-Based Treatments Your Dentist Could Recommend

Your dentist will also recommend home-based tips that can help alleviate the symptoms of your TMJ disorder. For instance, your dentist could recommend the following:

  • Taking OTC medications like ibuprofen to help alleviate inflammation and pain
  • Using cold packs or moist heat to ease pain
  • Eating soft foods, like beans, mashed potatoes and scrambled eggs
  • Avoiding extreme jaw movements, like yawning, chewing, or anything that can make you open your jaw wide
  • Avoiding resting the chin on your arm
  • Learning relaxation techniques and stress reduction therapy, like meditation, because stress can alleviate TMJ symptoms
  • Changing your sleeping position
  • Avoiding chewing certain items like pencils or gums
  • Keeping your teeth slightly apart as often as you can to help reduce jaw

After your treatment, you should follow your dentist's recommended tips to speed up recovery and reduce TMJ-related symptoms. Sometimes, you cannot prevent TMJ disorders, but these tips could also go a long way in keeping this bothersome condition at bay.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About TMJ Disorders

The following common FAQs and their answers will likely answer some of the questions you probably have about TMJ/TMD disorder:

  1. Is TMJ Disorder Curable?

Although complete cure varies, most people experience significant improvement in TMJ symptoms after receiving TMJ treatment. The treatment your dentist or orthodontist will recommend will focus on improving your jaw functions and alleviating the discomfort and pain caused by the TMJ disorder or dysfunction.

The sooner you contact a dentist after experiencing the above common TMJ symptoms, the higher the odds of treating the condition.

  1. What Should I Know About TMJ Splint?

A TMJ splint is a custom-made device your dentist could recommend to help improve jaw alignment, reduce teeth clenching, and promote muscle relaxation.

  1. Is it Possible to Prevent TMJ Disorders?

You cannot prevent TMJ disorder, but you can reduce the risk of developing this bothersome condition. For instance, if you have a habit of grinding your teeth or clenching, wearing a mouth guard at night can help reduce the impact of the grinding on your jaws. Also, home-based TMJ treatment measures listed above can go a long way in preventing the condition.

Another way you can prevent TMJ-related disorders is by maintaining routine dental visits. Aside from offering deep teeth cleaning services, during routine dental appointments, your dentist will thoroughly examine your general oral health to detect whether you have abnormalities that require immediate treatment.

Your dentist will recommend an immediate remedy if you have misaligned jaws or any other issue that could trigger TMJ dysfunction.

  1. Can TMD Cause Breathing Challenges?

If you have severely aligned jaws, the tongue could obstruct your airway, causing breathing difficulties, especially when asleep. For severely aligned jaws, your dentist could recommend surgical treatment to help improve your breathing ability.

  1. How Long Does the TMJ Disorder Last?

How long the TMJ disorder or dysfunction will last will vary from one person to another, but in most cases, it will go away within one (1) to two (2) weeks. However, the condition could last several months or sometimes years in severe cases.

Generally speaking, TMJ disorder could be short-term or chronic (long-term), depending on the cause of the issue and how soon you seek treatment after the onset of the first symptoms.

  1. When Should I See a Dentist?

If your jaws produce a popping sound when you open your mouth or are experiencing persistent and bothersome TMJ pain, you should speak with a dentist immediately. Your dentist can help determine why you have painful jaws and recommend appropriate treatment.

  1. What is the Cost of Treating TMJ Disorder?

The cost of treating and managing the symptoms caused by TMJ will vary depending on the type of treatment your dentist will recommend. Your dentist will recommend the most suitable treatment for your unique condition and give you an estimate of the cost and available payment options.

Remember to ask about the cost of your treatment during your initial appointment with your dentist because the cost could also vary based on his/her experience and location. Generally speaking, a mouthguard will cost you between $800 and $2,000. However, jaw surgery could cost you up to $10,000 or more.

The rule of thumb for avoiding TMJ disorders is to have a reliable dentist you can count on for your routine dental visits. During your routine dental appointment, your dentist can detect and treat abnormalities that can cause TMJ disorder before they deteriorate and become costly to treat.

Find a Reliable Dentist Near Me

The symptoms of TMJ disorders can be bothersome, but they are manageable through various treatments. Early diagnosis by a skilled dentist is key to determining the root cause of the issue for appropriate treatment.

Our profound dentists at Los Angeles Advanced Dentistry can offer personalized treatment based on your unique needs and lifestyle to boost oral wellness and general health. We invite you to call us at 310-361-2080 to schedule your consultation with our dentists to know how we can help you manage your TMJ symptoms.