Temporomandibular joint!
What is it?
It’s a joint that connects your lower jaw to the temporal bones of your skull & is suspended by a complex system of muscles & tendons. It allows one to perform movements in a wide range of directions.
TMJ disorder
TMJ disorder is not life-threatening but a common condition affecting a wide variety of population. TMJ disorder is an umbrella term that involves dysfunction & pain of the muscles of mastication & temporomandibular joint.
The disorder is characterized by:
- Jaw pain
- Headaches
- Habitual or unhabitual grinding of teeth
- Restricted mandibular movements
- Noises from the TMJ during the movement
- Tinnitus
- Tightness & pain in facial muscles
The symptoms can affect the quality of life & one’s well being & are quite debilitating. Patient’s well being & serenity is at the heart of our practice, hence our first & foremost consideration is to alleviate the pain.
Woefully, patient’s negligence towards proper treatment may worsen the situation of TMJ over a period of time.
What causes TMJ disorders?
It’s unclear to claim what precipitates the disorders that affect the joints. As mentioned above, the disorder can be due to issues in the muscles of the jaw or with the TMJ itself.
Probable contributing factors include:
- Trauma to the jaw
- Degenerative joint disease: osteoarthritis & rheumatoid arthritis
- Articular disc displacement with or without reduction
- Clenching or grinding of teeth
- Infection
- Genetic factors
- Hormonal factors
Reasons for treating the issues related to TMJ
The symptoms related to TMJ disorders, if left untreated at the beginning of the problem, aggravates during unpredicted or prolonged stress. And, at times severe flare up of the condition can cause neck soreness & dizziness.
In case of malocclusion or misaligned teeth, the pressure dissipated on joints is not uniform. This leads to excess pressure at the side where jaw shifts to accommodate the teeth. This eventually causes grinding, premature tooth wear, pain in facial muscles etc.
Therefore, in order to be freed of uneasiness & discomfort it’s of prime concern to treat the issues related to the temporomandibular joints.
Diagnosis
Before heading towards the management & treatment planning, your dentist in North Delhi will physically examine your TMJ, teeth, gums, sinus etc, in order to rule out the cause leading to discomfort.
If you’ve ever been through any physical trauma or accident, it’s highly important to inform your dentist.
Your dentist in Ashok Vihar will check your TMJ for any tenderness, pain, noises like clicking, popping, grating etc. He’ll also evaluate the bite & facial muscles. In order to check the proper positioning of the articular disc & bony detail of the joint you might need to undergo MRI & CT scan.
A firm diagnosis plays an important role in determining the predictable outcome.
Treatment
Once a suitable & definite diagnosis has been confirmed, particular treatment will be recommended. The treatment includes conservative treatment modality & correction of the issue ruled out.
Medications
Along with other non surgical treatments, medications are prescribed in order to alleviate one’s pain associated with TMJ disorders:
- NSAIDs (non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs) are a mainstay of the treatment where inflammation & pain are notable features.
- Tricyclic antidepressants (TCA): like amitriptyline are prescribed in low doses to treat pain & improve sleep.
- Muscle relaxants.
The non surgical therapies include:
- Occlusal splints or mouth guards: help relieve muscle tension & protect teeth from unfavourable night grinding. With such therapy, problems of acute onset can be improved via use of such appliance.
- Injections:
B0T0X injections into the muscles of mastication affected via TMJ disorders are used to relieve pain & contraction of muscles.
Corticosteroid injection relieves inflammation of TMJ capsule.
- Orthodontic treatment is considered in case where teeth are sound but their misalignment causing TMJ problems.
- Physical therapy: includes application of moist heat or ice application & jaw exercise to strengthen your jaw muscles.
- Occlusal equilibration: involves reshaping of tooth/teeth in order to balance the bite.
- Occlusal restoration: involves reconstruction or replacement of teeth via use of crowns, bridges, dentures or implants when simple reshaping procedures are not enough to relieve the problems.
- In case of dislocated jaw, the jaw is reduced by pressing the mandible downwards, upwards & backwards.
Surgical management
The surgical procedures are retained for the cases that cannot be treated or managed by other therapeutic modalities.
The procedures include: arthroscopy, arthrocentesis, disc repositioning, joint replacement etc.
In case your doctor recommends surgery to treat TMJ disorders, just be certain to discuss the probable risks & benefits of the procedure.
Do you experience persistent pain or tenderness in your TMJ?
The significance of initial assessment & treatment cannot be exaggerated. Issues with TMJ can worsen with time. Henceforth, to avoid minor problem turn into a major issue, schedule an appointment at Dr. Sachdeva’s dental implant clinic in Delhi. We can discuss the potential causes & treatment of your problem.
