TMJ Treatment
The goal of TMJ treatment is to decrease pain, minimize adverse pressure or “loading” on the jaw joints and restore normal function of the mouth. This can be accomplished with conservative and self-managed care or non-surgical treatments.
Medications such as antidepressants and analgesics are often prescribed for TMJ symptoms. Physical therapy and self-management techniques like avoiding hard foods, chewing gum, stretching the muscles of the neck, and massaging the jaw muscles can help ease discomfort. Avoiding clenching and grinding the teeth is also important, along with practicing good posture, especially while working at a computer. Changing your diet to include soft foods can calm inflammation. Using hot or cold compresses can reduce swelling and relieve pain. Some people find relief with over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers, and a dentist may recommend mouth guards to stop teeth clenching and grinding.
TMJ Treatment: Solutions for Jaw Pain and Discomfort
Surgery is usually a last resort for TMJ disorders, according to the National Institutes of Health. Minor surgeries that flush the jaw joint with liquid can help alleviate inflammation and remove adhesions, which can allow the temporomandibular disc to move more easily. In more severe cases, open-joint surgery can replace the damaged cartilage disk or fasten a metal hinge to the bones of the skull.
But TMJ research still pales in comparison to the billions of dollars that the NIH spends on deadly diseases and other conditions, Mackey says. And a number of experts say that the NIH needs to change its priorities to improve TMJ care.
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