TMD Therapy

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the name of the joint located on either side of your head, just in front of your ears. These joints connect your mandible (jawbone) to your temporal bone (skull). The TMJ, which can rotate and move forward, backward and side-to-side, is considered one of the most complex joints in the body. This joint, in combination with other muscles and ligaments, lets you chew, swallow, speak and yawn. When you have a problem with the muscle, bone or other tissue in the area in and around the TMJ, you may have a TMJ disorder or TMD.

TMD is a group of complex problems with many possible causes.
Some conditions that can lead to TMD are:

• Clenching or grinding the teeth
• Injury to the jaw, head or neck
• Osteoarthritis or Rheumatoid Arthritis in the joint
• Stress, which can cause tightening of the facial and jaw muscles
• Dislocation of the disc between the jawbone and the socket
• A bite that is out of balance or misaligned

It may result in chronic pain in the jaw, face, head and shoulders. Other common symptoms are headache, ear pain, and popping or clicking of the joint.

Diagnosis & Non-Surgical Reversible TMD Therapy

We recommend a complete dental and medical evaluation to properly evaluate patients with suspected TMJ disorders. Other conditions can cause symptoms similar to TMD, so it is important to see a specially trained dentist, like Dr. Radice, for a dental diagnosis. Dental X-rays, tomography (CT) scanning and MRI’s are frequently used to diagnose TMD. TMD is a complex disorder and so is the treatment. Non-surgical, reversible TMD treatment includes jaw rest, heat and ice application, medications such as muscle relaxants and anti-inflammatories, splint therapy (mouth guards) and correction of an abnormal bite.