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TMJ Surgery Overview
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TMJ Disorders
TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorders are a family of problems related to your complex jaw joint. If you have had symptoms like pain or a "clicking" sound, you'll be glad to know that these problems are more easily diagnosed and treated than they were in the past. These symptoms occur when the joints of the jaw and the chewing muscles (muscles of mastication) do not work together correctly. TMJ stands for Temporomandibular Joint, which is the name for each joint (right and left) that connects your jaw to your skull. Since some types of TMJ problems can lead to more serious conditions, early detection and treatment are important.
No one treatment can resolve TMJ disorders completely and treatment takes time to become effective. Dr. Anderson can help you have a healthier and more comfortable jaw.
Trouble with Your Jaw?
TMJ disorders develop for many reasons. You might clench or grind your teeth, tightening your jaw muscles and stressing your TM joint. You may have a damaged jaw joint due to injury or disease. Injuries and arthritis can damage the joint directly or stretch or tear the muscle ligaments. As a result, the disk, which is made of cartilage and functions as the “cushion” of the jaw joint, can slip out of position. Whatever the cause, the results may include a misaligned bite, pain, clicking or grating noise when you open your mouth or trouble opening your mouth wide.
Do You Have a TMJ Disorder?
- Are you aware of grinding or clenching your teeth?
- Do you wake up with sore, stiff muscles around your jaws?
- Do you have frequent headaches or neck aches?
- Does the pain get worse when you clench your teeth?
- Does stress make your clenching and pain worse?
- Does your jaw click, pop, grate, catch, or lock when you open your mouth?
- Is it difficult or painful to open your mouth, eat or yawn?
- Have you ever injured your neck, head or jaws?
- Have you had problems (such as arthritis) with other joints?
- Do you have teeth that no longer touch when you bite?
- Do your teeth meet differently from time to time?
- Is it hard to use your front teeth to bite or tear food?
- Are your teeth sensitive, loose, broken or worn?
The more times you answered "yes," the more likely it is that you have a TMJ disorder. Understanding TMJ disorders will also help you understand how they are treated.
Treatment
There are various treatment options that Dr. Anderson can utilize to improve the harmony and function of your jaw. Once an evaluation confirms a diagnosis of TMJ disorder, Dr. Anderson will determine the proper course of treatment. It is important to note that treatment always works best with a team approach of self-care joined with professional care.
The initial goals are to relieve the muscle spasm and joint pain. This is usually accomplished with a pain reliever, anti-inflammatory or muscle relaxant. Steroids are occasionally injected directly into the joints by a procedure call arthocentesis to reduce pain and inflammation. Self-care treatments can often be effective as well and include:
- Resting your jaw
- Keeping your teeth apart when you are not swallowing or eating
- Eating soft foods or a liquid diet
- Applying ice or heat to the joint
- Exercising your jaw
- Practicing good posture
Stress management techniques such as biofeedback or physical therapy may also be recommended. The initial treatment usually begins with the wearing of a temporary, clear plastic appliance known as a TMJ splint. A splint fits over your top or bottom teeth and helps keep your teeth apart, thereby relaxing the muscles and reducing pain. There are different types of appliances used for different purposes. A nightguard helps you stop clenching or grinding your teeth and reduces muscle tension at night and helps to protect the cartilage and joint surfaces. An orthotic stabilization appliance is worn 24 or just at night to move your jaw into proper position to relieve muscle spasms and pain. Appliances also help to protect from tooth wear. TMJ splints must be custom made and frequently adjusted until the proper position is achieved.
What about bite correction or surgery?
If your TMJ disorder has caused problems with how your teeth fit together, you may need treatment such as bite adjustment (equilibration), orthodontics with or without jaw reconstruction, or restorative dental work. Dr. Anderson does not consider TMJ surgery unless the jaw can’t open, is dislocated and nonreducible, has severe degeneration, or the patient has undergone appliance treatment unsuccessfully and continues to have severe pain.
Surgical Options of TMJ may include:
- Arthrocentesis is a minimally invasive procedure to flush inflamed fluid from the joint and gently stretch the joint. It is performed to decrease joint pain in increase range of motion.
- Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive closed joint surgery that utilizes an arthroscope, a miniature telescopic instrument, to diagnose the problem and surgically to lyses adhesions (scar tissue) and lauger the joint to allow for greater range of motion and to reduce joint pain. It is performed in the hospital as an outpatient.
- Arthroplasty or Arthrotomy is an open joint procedure that is used to reposition and stabilize a dislocated disk (meniscus), remove a degenerated bone or to place space maintainers. It is preformed in the hospital.
- Joint Replacement Surgery involves the replacement of part or all of the TMJ. It is reserved for severe cases where other options have been unable to restore function and relieve pain. It is performed in the hospital.
- Corrective Jaw Surgery (Orthognathic Surgery) involves the surgical repositioning of the upper and/or lower jaw in conjunction with orthodontic treatment to correct skeletal jaw abnormalities resulting in malocclusions that have causes TMJ problems. It is performed in the hospital
Atlanta Office:
4721 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Ste 301
Atlanta, GA 30338-6000
770-396-8860 O 770-395-6546 FAX
