TMJ Cures

The temporomandibular joint joins the mandible (lower jaw) to the face at the temporal bone right in front of your ear. Disorders in the TMJ may result from trauma, arthritis, or muscle irritation or strain. You may experience pain that ranges from dull aching to severe throbbing pain that radiates to other areas of the face. You may also have stiffness in the jaw that limits your ability to open your mouth or chew, and your jaw may catch or lock. You may hear a clicking or grating sound when you open your mouth.

Medical Treatment

• Often symptoms are transient and simply resting your jaw by eating soft foods, applying ice packs and avoiding opening your mouth widely is all the treatment you may need. However, according to Mayo Clinic, you may also take the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug naproxen (Aleve), which seems to provide more relief than other NSAIDs if used along with gentle exercises to stretch the jaw muscles. In some cases, muscle relaxants and/or tricyclic antidepressants (commonly used for chronic pain) may provide relief of pain. For severe persistent pain, you may receive a steroid injection into the joint to relieve inflammation. A newer treatment involves an injection of botulism toxin (Botox) into the muscle to relieve muscle pain. You may consider relaxation exercises along with medical treatment if stress or tension causes you to clench your jaw muscles.

Dental Treatment

• Some believe that dental problems may cause or aggravate TMJ disorders. According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, you may try a stabilization splint, such as a bite guard (usually during the night), to keep your jaw in the correct position and prevent you from grinding your teeth, although it's not clear that this is effective, and the NIDCR recommends that you use the guard for only a short time and discontinue use if your symptoms worsen. Dentists sometimes recommend numerous dental procedures for TMJ, such as crowns and orthodontia to repair occlusion disorder, but there is little evidence that these interventions are effective, and the NIDCR notes that these procedures sometimes increase symptoms of TMJ.

Surgical Treatment

• According to NIDCR, surgical treatment should be the last resort after more conservative treatments have failed to relieve symptoms. In the event of traumatic injury, such as dislocation or fracture of the joint, surgery may be unavoidable. The FDA has approved artificial implants for the TMJ, and some people may benefit from repair of the joint, especially if they have arthritis in the joint. If there is debris in the joint, the surgeon may simply flush the joint with fluid to remove the debris. The NIDCR stresses that artificial implants pose numerous dangers, including permanent damage to the jaw and increased pain and that, if an initial surgery fails to correct problems, subsequent surgeries will probably make the condition worse.