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If you read our earlier article on pain in your jaw, then you may be trying to determine the options for treatment of TMJ. The good news is that in most cases, TMJ can be fixed with non-surgical techniques. Typically, most people will try to treat TMJ with home remedies like cold packs and heat pads as well as over-the-counter medications to help with minor pain discomfort and swelling. Others may consider using acupuncture as a treatment option. In most cases, while these may provide temporary relief for symptoms, they will not provide permanent and lasting relief. And, that’s where our advanced dental practice comes into play.

Before we discuss TMJ treatment options, we want to remind you that there are many factors that play into what could be causing TMJ. Most commonly, however, it’s the misalignment of jaw muscles, joints and teeth caused by an injury of some sort, grinding teeth, even bad posture, stress and diseases of the joints and muscles like arthritis and fibromyalgia for example. At Breckner Dental, it’s our practice to take a comprehensive approach to the treatment of TMJ because each case is unique. We’ll begin with a complete dental health assessment and end with x-rays in order to obtain a true understanding of how muscle, teeth and bones are aligning in your mouth. The next step is to create an aggressive, yet manageable treatment plan that is developed for each individual patient.

Treatment plans for TMJ could include creating an oral appliance called a splint, which can be worn at night or during the day. The splint functions to realign the TMJ’s and is effective in eliminating or decreasing symptoms. In addition to splint therapy, occlusal or bite adjustment, when needed, function to further stabilize the TMJ’s during eating or anytime the splint is not being worn. If an appliance is not a viable treatment option, last resort treatment would be surgery.

Should you have any questions about surgical procedures regarding the treatment of TMJ, we always encourage you to contact your advanced dentistry specialist to ensure that you fully understand all treatment options. It’s not only important to get your questions answered prior to choosing a treatment option; but equally important to fully understand necessary procedures and what will be required of you both prior to and after the procedure has been completed.

Breckner Dental is an advanced dentistry practice located in Edwardsville, IL, just 20 minutes east of Metro St. Louis, Missouri. Dr. Breckner focuses on advanced treatments for patients throughout Southern Illinois and the St. Louis area. For more information , visit his website at www.brecknerdental.com or call 618-307-3267.