What are the various treatments for TMJ?

Question

I've had TMJ for almost 10 years now. The clicking never used to bother me, but recently it is. I have pain on my right upper jaw. It's very annoying when it clicks when I have to eat and open jaw wider to accomodate the food. I do wear a night gaurd when I'm sleeping, but I don't think that can fix the problem. How can I truly fix this problem over time and why does caffeine play a role in it?

Answer 1

Actually, I had a similar problem to you. It gets really hard for me to open my mouth and I have to almost unlock it in order for it to open. I talked to the dentist about it and he referred me to an oral surgeon. The oral surgeon said it is a bite problem. My jaw is malaligned. I mean I have really straight teeth and have never had orthodontic work done, but I have a bite problem. He sent me back to my dentist to be fitted for a bite splint. It's soething you wear at night and it gradually corrects the bite... maybe check into this. Otherwise there isn't too much of a treatment for TMJ> From what I have learned in school and through experience you want to avoid surgery at all costs. But you should talk to the dentist.

Answer 2

TMJ can never be cured but it could be managed. You might want to consult with an oral surgeon about a bite stent. A bite stent is a clear retainer like appliance that fits on the upper jaw: and can be worn all day if necessary. The material that the stent is made of is strong enough so that you don't bite right through it. People tend to grit or grind their teeth at night without knowing that they are doing this. This grinding & gritting of the teeth at night is a stress related thing. Alot of people might say "Well I don't grind or grit my teeth". People do this subconsiously so they wouldn't know that they are doing it. The popping & clicking of the jaw is also related to TMJ. If it's severe enough the oral surgeon might recommemd a steriod injection; the injections do wear off and you never know how long they will last.

Answer 3

Ouch, I'm sorry. TMJ is painful. Aside from surgery (which is only used in the most extreme cases), the only thing you can do is get a nightguard. Don't let your dentist convince you into buying one from them, which will end up being around $400. Your best bet is to get one from convenience stores like WalMart or CVS for around $30. It takes some getting used to, but well worth it. At night take Advil, Ibuprofen, or Alleve so that you won't hurt in the morning. Also, try not to eat chewy or gummy foods, or foods that require your mouth to open all the way (ie sandwiches, burgers...)

Answer 4

I have TMJ. No pain in my mouth, but i was constantly getting ear aches. My doctor told me to use advil, which acyually stopped the ear aches. It may help with the pain in the jaw. Don't know why, but it helped me. Good luck. Try it for a couple days, see if you get any improvement. It is an anti inflamatory. So it may help more than you think.

Answer 5

I'm not sure what role caffeine plays in TMJ, but stress certainly plays a major role in it. You may not think that you are particularly stressed out, but subconsciously you are clenching or grinding your teeth in reaction to stress. This may sound weird, but go see a clinical massage therapist. He or she will massage your jaw and can tell you what to do when things flare up.

Answer 6

There is surgery which is pretty serious but I hear it fixes the problem. There are also licensed massage therapists (LMT) that specialize in TMJ massage. THey rub the area by your ears and underneath your bottom jaw and it relieves the pain, short term. You have to continually get the massages but like a chiropractor , it gives you temporary relief.

Answer 7

Aside from a 30,000 dollar surgury you can try the following ebook. I don't know if it helps as I've never had TMJ.... but it might

Answer 8

when i was yunger i had a clear mouth piece, i bit threw it and ever scince the i've just lived with it just cracking my mouth every few minutes or so, taking ibprfin helps too