TMJ/TMD Treatment Vancouver

You have a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) on either side of your face that connects the jaw to the temporal bone of the skull. The ball-and-socket joint also contains a disc in between that serves as a cushion. Your TMJs are part of a larger, related system that includes your jaw and facial muscles as well.

While people sometimes refer to problems with the joint as TMJ, TMJ is actually an acronym for the temporomandibular joint itself. Issues with the TMJ are known as temporomandibular disorders (TMD) or a temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD). Yup, we know, it’s a whole lot of acronyms.

The source of TMJD can be the TMJ, the disc or the muscles. This is why it’s important to determine the underlying cause of TMJ pain and dysfunction before deciding on the best TMD treatment plan.

The signs and symptoms of TMD include:

• Pain and tenderness in the jaw
• Pain in and around the ear
• Popping or clicking noises when you open and close your jaw (treatment usually isn’t needed for popping or clicking noises on their own, but when the sounds occur along with pain, it’s indicative of TMD)
• Difficulty opening and closing the jaw all of the way
• The jaw getting “locked” in an open or closed position
• Headaches and neck aches
• Facial pain, including tenderness in the temples or cheeks

The causes of TMD can be related to injury or degenerative changes, such as arthritis in the joint, disc problems, inflammation and/or strained muscles, tendons or ligaments. In some cases, it can also be stress-related, especially if stress is causing you to clench or grind your teeth. Other risk factors for TMD include chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia, your sex (women are more likely to develop TMJ pain) and your age.

At Nest, our team believes in a conservative approach to TMJ/TMD treatment. We generally recommend trying non-invasive treatments before opting for anything that’s not reversible. The exact plan will depend on the cause of your TMJ pain and dysfunction, the severity of your condition and your unique needs.

Options could include:

• Homecare (e.g., ice and/or moist heat, temporarily sticking to a soft foods diet, gentle stretching exercises, avoiding chewing gum, etc.)
• Medication, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications or muscle relaxants
• A custom oral appliance like a nightguard or TMJ splint. A nightguard is ideal if your TMJ pain is caused by clenching and grinding your teeth. A TMJ splint helps to take the stress off of the joint to allow it to heal.
• BOTOX® injections to relax the jaw muscles and ease jaw tension (we can also use Botox to help with TMD-related headaches)

If conservative measures don’t work, in severe cases, other treatments could be recommended, such as:

• Minor procedures, including cortisone injections or lavage (flushing the joint)
• Dental restorations like bridges or crowns
• Invisalign® treatment to align the bite
• Rarely, TMJ surgery