TMJ pain

TMJ pain (Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction or TMD) affects over 3 million people each year in the United States. It consists of pain in the jaw joint and/or surrounding muscles and associated difficulty opening. Some patients experience mild pain and discomfort, while others can experience severe pain that drastically interferes with normal function and quality of life. Individual patients may experience a wide range of severity at different times. TMD is highly correlated with stress. The majority of those who experience TMD are over the age of 20, however, it can occur in children and teenagers.

What is the cause of TMJ Pain (Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction- TMD)?

1. The majority (almost 70% according to most research) of TMJ Pain is caused by overuse and inflammation of the muscles around the jaw joint.  TMJ pain can also less commonly be caused by functional problems within the joint itself.
2. TMJ pain is often caused by muscle overactivity that occurs during times of stress, and as a result of clenching and/or grinding.
3. A significant portion of the population will experience TMJ pain at some time throughout life and symptoms tend to improve with time through conservative measures (see below):

Seven Simple Solutions for Relief of TMJ Pain:

1. DIET: Soft foods (prevents over activity of chewing muscles)
2. MOTRIN: Motrin/Advil (doses as indicated on bottle) periodically when pain is at its worst (reduces both pain and muscle inflammation)
3. HEAT: Use a heating pad to apply heat to the side of the face near the TMJ for 15 minutes on both sides each night before bed.
4. STRETCH: Stretching exercises to open your mouth as wide as you can without pain to stretch muscles around the jaw and facilitate muscle lengthening and relaxation (2x/day for 5 min each)
5. NIGHTGUARD/RETAINER: A clear nightguard or retainer on upper and/or lower teeth to be worn while sleeping to help to keep your teeth apart and relax the muscles around the TMJ. This should be made and adjusted by an orthodontist or dentist.
6. HABITS: Avoid repetitive chewing habits that cause your muscles to function continuously like chewing on pen caps, chewing on nails, or chewing gum all day long (chewing gum for a few minutes several times per day is ok).
7. RELAXATION: Studies show that TMJ pain and muscle overuse is highly correlated with general life stress. Exercise, good sleep habits, and finding time during the day to mentally and physically relax helps to improve symptoms significantly.

**All therapies above should be monitored by your orthodontist or dentist.

We are committed to help you feel better! This protocol is effective in providing significant relief for a large percentage of patients. If these conservative methods are not effective, we can refer you to a facial pain center for more advanced diagnosis and treatment.

We are here to help you!  Call us at DCO (610-615-3166) with any questions- we would love to assist you!