Posted on 5/22/2023 by Greater Charlotte Oral and Facial Surgery
You may suffer from TMJ disorders if you have pain around the jaw or ear accompanied by popping or clicking sounds. A dentist will discuss with you the common symptoms of this condition and your options. They will also examine the jaw to identify areas of pain or discomfort. If your dentist suspects this disorder, they will request the following:
Diagnostic Tests
After examination of the jaws, teeth, and jaw joints and identifying the common symptoms of TMJ disorders, a dentist will request dental X-rays. The X-rays show the health of your jaw and teeth. They can also request CT scans which offer more detailed information about the bones of the jaw joints. On the other hand, an MRI can pick up any problems with the joint's disks. Through these tests, they can confirm whether you have TMJ disorder or not.
Treatment of TMJ Disorder
Mild symptoms can disappear after a few days without any treatment. However, if the symptoms are so severe and persistent, the dentist recommends some of the following treatments.
Medications
Pain relievers and NSAIDs can help to reduce pain and inflammation in the joints. If you have a problem with bruxism or sleeping, a health provider can prescribe tricyclic antidepressants. For muscle spasms, muscle relaxants are quite effective.
Therapies
Therapy is a more conservative way of relieving pain and discomfort from TMJ disorders. Dentists can recommend you wear mouthguards or oral splints to alleviate jaw pain. Stretching and exercising your jaw muscles also helps to minimize any pain.
Surgical Procedure
For severe conditions, surgery is used as the last resort. Oral surgery uses this procedure to repair the joints. TMJ arthroplasty is a procedure that involves exposing your joint spaces. Through the incision, it is possible to repair the discs and eliminate any adhesions or bone spurs causing pain. An oral surgeon will discuss the surgery's benefits and risks.
You may suffer from TMJ disorders if you have pain around the jaw or ear accompanied by popping or clicking sounds. A dentist will discuss with you the common symptoms of this condition and your options. They will also examine the jaw to identify areas of pain or discomfort. If your dentist suspects this disorder, they will request the following: