Millions of people all over the world are dealing with TMJ. TMJ refers to the temporomandibular joint which is the joint formed between the upper and lower jaws.  An inflammation or misalignment of this joint and the surrounding muscles can cause headaches, or pain in other parts of the body such as the neck and shoulders.

Most TMJ disorder symptoms are related to simple wear and tear of the jaw. As a joint which receives a great deal of use, the TMJ is active when one is chewing, talking, yawning, singing and performing other like behaviors. Pain for those suffering from TMJ disorder can occur in the ears, sinuses, muscles of the face, neck and shoulders as well as in the jaw itself.

The majority of TMJ disorder cases are mild, happening infrequently and with pain that comes and goes on its own and typically does not last more than a day or two. More severe cases can bring extreme pain that can last for weeks or months either continuously or in frequent bouts. These are the times when people ask, is there a TMJ pain treatment?

Treatment options are numerous and they begin with prevention. They include methods of strengthening the TMJ and expanding its field of motion, determining what to eat and how to ease the TMJ pain. More and more TMJ pain treatments are being found as the days progress. Laid out plainly, TMJ pain treatments are pain medication, muscle relaxants, application of dental splints, bite therapy, warm compresses and soft diet.

When TMJ pain strikes, it is mainly that the joint is inflamed and the muscles are strained. Pain medication such as aspirin or ibuprofen, together with muscle relaxants, have been successful in easing the pain of and tension on the TMJ. A dentist who diagnoses a patient with TMJ disorder may fit them with a type of mouth guard called a dental splint to wear while they are asleep. These are protectors made of soft plastic which are fitted to cover the upper and lower teeth.

Such use prohibits any additional dislocation or tension on the TMJ by stopping the grinding of the teeth unconsciously at night or by preventing the clenching of the teeth. The dental splint is custom fitted to each individual patient to ensure a proper fit that will lessen the strain on the muscles surrounding the joint

TMJ therapy, also known as bite therapy, may used to determine the root cause of the patient’s condition. By performing an extensive analysis of the mouth and jaw, bite therapy identifies the exact cause of the condition so that treatment may be targeted toward a specific issue which is causing the pain, such as habitual jaw clenching, habitual gum chewing or an uneven bite.

Some patients find relief by applying warm compresses to the areas of discomfort around the jaw, neck and shoulders. Soaking a hand towel in warm water and placing it over the painful spots for 15 to 20 minutes at a time will enhance the blood flow to the area which can ease the pain. The dentist may also recommend a diet of soft foods for a time to lessen the workload on the joint. Not overworking the TMJ and not straining the muscles excessively will help in avoiding the pain.

My research has shown that many people find exercises such as those offered by TMJ No More, to be the most effective remedy for TMJ pain.

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Also known as the third set of molars or simply third molars, the wisdom teeth are the last set of teeth in the mouth to erupt, which normally happens around the ages of 17 – 25.

For many years, there has been a lot of controversy as to the need to remove these teeth.  Particularly between Orthodontists and Oral Surgeons.

If the teeth don’t cause any harm or pain, they are normally fine to stay in place.  But if they are in a bad position or cause you a lot of pain or discomfort, they will usually need to be removed.

When the wisdom teeth first begin to erupt, they will often be impacted.  This means that they are lodged in the jaw bone and not able to fully erupt into the mouth. They might be fully impacted or partially impacted.  Partially impacted (or erupted) wisdom teeth pose the most potential problems, due to their location, difficulty to clean and tendency toward infection.

You see, as mankind has evolved and moved toward a processed food diet, the jawbones have become smaller and less able to accommodate three sets of molars.  As a result, among a growing majority of people in developed countries, wisdom tooth removal is almost an automatic procedure.  However, in non-developed countries, it’s still very common for people to have plenty of room for all 32 of their teeth.

Normally, your dentist will recommend removal of impacted and especially, partially impacted wisdom teeth.  Sometimes they can be pulled, if enough of the tooth is visible and accessible in the mouth.  Although in most cases they need to be surgically removed by an Oral Surgeon.

When the time comes to have your wisdom teeth extracted, you’ll need to go to an Oral Surgeon and have a consultation first.  During the consultation, they’ll take one or more x-rays that will show the surgeon the exact positioning of the teeth, as well as all surrounding structures, like the bone and nerves.

The oral surgeon will review the films, perform a thorough oral, face and neck exam and go over the diagnosis with you, before presenting you with their recommendations and treatment options.

If they are going to either simply extract or surgically remove your teeth, you’ll most likely have the option of using only local anesthesia or going with IV sedation in addition to local anesthesia.   Some surgeons also offer nitrous oxide as an adjunctive anesthesia, rather than IV sedation.

IV sedation is the preferred way to have wisdom teeth extracted, as you’ll be so relaxed you won’t know what is going on.  If you decide to just use only local anesthesia, which fully numbs the affected areas, you’ll be fully aware of the procedure, but it will be pain-free.  You’ll also hear the popping and cracking involved, which can make you feel quite uncomfortable.

Another inherent benefit to IV sedation is the “amnesia effect”.   The drug combination normally causes you to forget the entire procedure after the drugs wear off.  For most people, this is excellent, since fear of the dentist is prevalent in the population.  They often wake up asking “are you done?” and have no recollection of the procedure, including all the sounds, smells and other sensations, like having their face manipulated for an hour or so.

Depending on the shape, size, and the formation of the wisdom teeth, the removal process can vary from easy to hard.  If the root tips are curved, for example, the removal process can be very time consuming.  Or, as is commonly the case, if the lower wisdom teeth are partially erupted and tilted horizontally toward the second molars, the wisdom teeth will have to be “sectioned”, meaning cut into pieces for easy removal.  This protects the second molars and normally also requires a channel of bone to be cut around the wisdom tooth.  The bone fills back in – including the hole left from the extraction – within a few months.

Rarely, the impactions will be so severe the surgeon will want to make use of an actual operating room to perform the procedure, rather than in their clinic.  In other words, using general anesthesia to completely “knock you out” while they grind, pry and pull on the offending teeth and surrounding bone.  While general anesthesia presents the greatest possibility for complications (including death), the benefits include a fully staffed medical team in case some complication does arise and of course, you being completely oblivious to what is going on.

Once the extractions have been completed, there is normally some degree of pain, swelling and bleeding involved once the local anesthesia wears off.  Your dentist will prescribe you some pain medicine, which you should use as soon as you arrive home and before the local wears off.

If you are going to use IV sedation, you’ll need to someone to accompany you, as you won’t be able to drive home afterward. Someone will also need to be with you for the first 24 hours, to make sure that you ok as the drugs wear off.

After the removal of your wisdom teeth, your dentist will go over with your escort (if you had IV sedation, because you probably won’t remember what was said) what you need to do to ensure the proper healing of your gums and mouth.  Normally, they will also give you written information to go over, to make sure that you experience no problems in the healing process.

Typically, the younger the patient, the faster they “bounce back” from the procedure.  That’s because of two things, primarily.  They have softer bone and they have a faster healing response.  Another consideration is how well developed the teeth are.  Partially developed teeth have unformed roots, which makes extraction much easier than those that have been “anchored” in the bone for several years.

Thousands of people have their wisdom teeth removed each month.  For the most part, it’s a normal part of growing up in the U.S. and other developed countries.  And quite often, it’s done as a prelude to orthodontics.  Procedures have been refined over the years so that removal is quick, non-traumatic and post-operatively unremarkable for the vast majority of patients.

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When the upper and lower jaw bones, connecting at the temporomandibular joint  (or TMJ, as it’s commonly referred to) become out of alignment or are overworked, TMJ syndrome can occur.

Symptoms of TMJ disorder include blurred vision, congested sinuses, toothaches, as well as more obvious pain in the jaw, neck, ears, face, head and sometimes shoulders.

Doctors and dentists can provide several choices when it comes to treating TMJ disorder. Such treatments for TMJ syndrome include special TMJ strengthening exercises, night-guard mouthpieces, corrective operations, bite therapy, and medications, vitamins, and minerals that provide anti-inflammatory benefits.

Most of the TMJ treatment options that doctors and dentists make are not extreme, and are easily followed at home. Consistency is important when using diet and jaw exercises as a treatment. Unfortunately in severe cases, surgery may have to considered, but because it is irreversible it is always the last option.

Sometimes pain may be experienced in the jaw area while chewing or talking and there is no need for concern. If the pain does not go away though, you must go see your dentist in order to get the proper diagnosis.   If you really have TMJ issues, the proper method to address the condition will be provided to address your specific symptoms.

Most health care professionals today will generally opt first for noninvasive techniques. There will be a change in diet from hard crunchy foods to foods that are softer and easier to chew so that pressure on the TMJ will be eased. Food with omega 3 fatty acids like flaxseed oil and fish will be increased as the omega 3 fatty acid gives an anti-inflammatory effect and reduces swelling in the TMJ.

Magnesium and calcium rich foods are also added to the diet to strengthen the jaw bone and help it heal faster from the TMJ syndrome. Routine strengthening techniques – such as raising and lowering the lower jaw and moving it from left to right – are often recommended to be performed five minutes at a time, five times per day. For these treatments to work, they need to be done consistently over a long period of time.

TMJ pain is very common in highly-stressed individuals, many of whom tend to grind their teeth together while sleeping, or bite down hard during intense circumstances in their hectic lives.  Night time teeth grinding is also known as bruxism and occurs in people of all ages.  There are several articles on this site that discuss bruxism in detail.

Mouth guards (much like those a boxer wears) can help to prevent teeth from grinding together while you sleep, or even during daily activity. People can also research ways to reduce their stress and deal with it in other ways aside from clenching their teeth.

After all other options are exhausted, medical professionals may suggest surgery where under anesthesia the joint may be cleaned out, replaced, or moved.

TMJ syndrome is a very intricate condition in which doctors and dentists provide a wide range of methods to treat it. Surgery will always be the last resort, and physicians will exhaust all other noninvasive options to ease pain and discomfort from temporomandibular joint disorder.

From my research I’ve discovered that programs like TMJ No More are often very effective in reducing or even getting rid of TMJ problems forever.