TMJ Treatment to Alleviate Pain

TMJ, or Temporomandibular Disorder, is a condition where a patient is having a wide range of symptoms or signs that we see including muscle pain, headaches, joint pain, tooth wear, fracturing teeth. So it has a lot of ramifications for it. There are lots of treatment modalities for TMJ. Once we determine what the patient's problem is related to TMJ, then we figure out how we're going to treat it. Treatment for TMJ can be done using orthodontics to move teeth, splints or night guards to protect the teeth and stabilize the joint. You can use Botox to relieve muscle tension and headaches. When we see our patient, when they come in, we talk to them in depth about what's really bothering them with their TMJ. Is it sleep? Is it function? Once we know what we need to improve for the patient, we discuss options with the patient and come up with a way we think's going to treat their problem the best for them. Once we get into treatment, most patients are very happy with the outcome because they're able to sleep better. If their problem is headaches, having a reduction in the number of headaches that they're either waking up with or suffering throughout the day really helps them get back to their normal routine.