TMJ Treatment: All That You Need to Know - holisticdentalau’s blog

TMJ disorders are usually diagnosed by your doctor or dentist on the basis of your symptoms and on the ways of examination of your jaw. TMJ treatment in Melbourne is decided after your dentist has performed one or more of the following examinations:

1. Listened and felt your jaw when it is opened and closed

2. Observe the total range of motion of your jaw

3. Test on areas around your jaw in order to identify any discomfort or pain

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In some other cases, BMG treatment is also decided only after your dentist has performed some of the following examinations:

1. Dental x-rays for examining the teeth and the jaw

2. CT scan for getting detailed images of the bones of the joint

3. MRIs for finding out if there are any problems with the disc or the surrounding soft tissue around the joint

TMJ treatment in Melbourne

In some cases, TMJ disorder symptoms may go away without any treatment. But if your symptoms are consistent, you must consult a doctor who can recommend you a variety of treatment options. Most of these treatments are combined and given to the patient at the same time.

Medication

Nonsurgical treatment methods include medication options that can relieve the pain often associated with TMJ disorders. Here are some of the medications that are often indicated:

1. Pain relievers and anti inflammatory medication

Over the counter pain medications are often not enough to relieve the pain of TMJ disorders. In these cases, your dentist will prescribe you stronger pain medications, but this is only for a limited period of time. An example of such a medication would be prescription strength ibuprofen.

2. Tricyclic anti depressants

Medications like Amitriptyline often used for treating depression but also used in lower doses for pain relief in temporomandibular disorders.

3. Muscle relaxants

Sometimes dentists prescribe these drugs for a couple of days or weeks to help relieve the muscle spasms that often result in TMJ disorders.

Therapy treatments

Non drug TMD treatments in Melbourne also include the following:

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1. Oral splints or mouth guards

People with jaw pain benefit a lot from wearing a firm or soft device that is inserted over their teeth.

2. Physical therapy

There are many exercises that can help strengthen and stretch the muscles of the jaw. Physical therapy treatments may also include moist heat, ice, and ultrasound.

3. Counseling

Educating and counseling the patients can also help you understand the behaviors and factors that result in aggravating the pain around the jaws. In many cases, TMJ disorders are aggravated because of teeth grinding, clenching, biting fingernails, or leaning on the chin.

Surgical procedures

If any other types of methods do not help, your dentist may prescribe surgical processes in the following categories:

1. Arthrocentesis

This process is a minimally invasive surgical treatment method. In this method, your dentist will insert small needles into your temporomandibular joint. Through these needles, he will insert a fluid that will irrigate through the joint and remove any debris or inflammatory byproducts.

2. Injections

In some people, corticosteroid injections given directly into the joint are very helpful. In some cases, the botulinum toxin type A may also be helpful because it helps relieve the pain in the muscles that are used for chewing.

3. TMJ Arthroscopy

In certain cases, arthroscopic surgery can be very helpful. It's less invasive than an open joint surgery and it involves the placement of a small thin tube into the joint space. After that, an arthroscope is inserted into the joint and small surgical instruments are used for the surgery. This type of process also has fewer risks and complications compared to open joint surgeries.

4. Modified condylotomy

In this process, the surgery is performed on the mandible, not on the joint itself. This procedure can also help with treatment of the pain that results from TMJ disorders and if the patient is experiencing jaw locking.

5. Open joint surgery

If conservative methods of TMJ treatment are not working, it may be because of a structural problem within the joint. In such cases, your doctor will perform an open joint surgery to repair the joint, or replace it. These surgeries are often more risky than other procedures and should only be undertaken after careful consideration.