A dentist can help in diagnosing your TMJ disorder, and may also refer you to a physician or a specialist dentist for further diagnosis. Because TMJ can be caused by tooth and jaw alignment problems, there are dental treatments that may help.
Your dentist may recommend over-the-counter pain medicine, a prescription muscle relaxant or refer you to our experienced oral surgeons for treatment.
General dentists are dental professionals who have been properly trained in how the jaw functions, which makes them experts at addressing TMJ disorders. General dentists can offer their patients who are suffering from TMJ pain a few different treatment options in order to ease their suffering.
If one or more of your teeth is suddenly overly sensitive to heat, cold, or sugar, you probably have a cavity. Finally, try resting your face for a time and/or massaging the temporomandibular joint. If the pain seems to lessen or dissipate, it may be TMJ pain.
If you're experiencing any of these, contact your dentist for TMJ pain treatment. Your TMJ may be the result of something obvious, like an injury or clenching your teeth. Yet, sometimes the cause is less clear. TMJ can happen due to misaligned teeth, or arthritis.
A variety of modalities can be used to image the TMJ, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), cone beam CT, ultrasonography, conventional radiography.
Look for signs of confusion, clumsiness, weakness, aphasia or visual problems.
One of the most common causes of jaw pain is temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD), which is often also referred to as TMJ. This disorder has a negative impact on the joints that connect the jawbone and your skull. A surprising number of people live their day to day lives with TMD and are completely unaware of it.
In some cases, jaw pain on one side can indicate underlying oral health problems. Some common issues that cause jaw pain are cavities, an abscessed tooth, gum disease, tooth decay, growth of wisdom teeth, missing or crooked teeth, and clenching or grinding your teeth.
Remember that for most people, discomfort from TMJ disorders will eventually go away on its own. Simple self-care practices are often effective in easing symptoms. If treatment is needed, it should be based on a reasonable diagnosis, be conservative and reversible, and be customized to your special needs.
A dentist or a doctor can manually move the jaw back into position, called a manual reduction. The purpose of this is to fit the mandible back into the jaw joint for normal function. In some cases, a bandage will be used around the head to prevent movement while the jaw heals.
You should talk to a healthcare provider if you have jaw pain that lasts more than a week. Severe jaw pain from a broken or dislocated jaw is a medical emergency. Likewise, severe pain that starts in your chest and your shoulders and moves to your jaw may be a heart attack symptom.
Untreated TMJ can cause constant tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, that can disrupt sleep and make it difficult to concentrate. Because our body's sense of balance is in the inner ears, the inflammation caused by TMJ disorder can impact balance as well, resulting in dizziness, unsteadiness, and vertigo.
The Best Type of Doctor to See for TMJ Pain
If you're experiencing TMJ pain, you should see a dentist. Dentists don't just treat your teeth—they're specialists who are trained in the anatomy of the jaw and diagnosing dysfunction in the bite.
Symptoms of an abscess in your tooth or gum may include: an intense, throbbing pain in the affected tooth or gum that may come on suddenly and gets gradually worse. pain that spreads to your ear, jaw and neck on the same side as the affected tooth or gum.
The temporomandibular joints can be found on either side of the head in front of the ears. These joints allow us to talk, chew and yawn. When one or more of these joints become inflamed or painful, the condition is called temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD).
An injury, such as a broken jaw or a strain or sprain in the surrounding muscles, could cause jaw pain that radiates to the ear. If a person notices ear and jaw pain shortly after a fall, a car accident, or a blow to the head, they may have a jaw injury that needs medical treatment.
The link between stress/anxiety and jaw pain
Stress may subconsciously contribute to us clenching more frequently than usual, which creates more pressure within the jaw (or temporomandibular joints). Over time, this can lead to poor control of the muscles responsible for opening and closing the mouth.
Tooth infections that have traveled to the jawbone can lead to severe dental abscesses and jawbone infections. Osteomyelitis in the jaw causes persistent pain, jaw stiffness, swelling, and tenderness. Additionally, bacterial infections of the teeth can also spread to the bloodstream and cause sepsis.
Trigeminal neuralgia (TN), also known as tic douloureux, is sometimes described as the most excruciating pain known to humanity. The pain typically involves the lower face and jaw, although sometimes it affects the area around the nose and above the eye.
Chronic cluster, migraine, or tension headaches may be mistaken for TMJ disorder, especially since TMJ disorder itself can cause such headaches. Chronic sinus pain and sinus infections can also produce pain around the temples that can feel like TMJ disorder.
Seek medical attention if you have persistent pain or tenderness in your jaw, or if you can't open or close your jaw completely. Your doctor, your dentist or a TMJ specialist can discuss possible causes and treatments for your problem.
While opening your jaw slightly, place a finger over the joint in front of your ear, and then open wide until you can feel the joint move. If you feel the joint click or if it's tender when you press gently, you may have temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder.