When to Consider Surgery for Chronic TMJ Pain

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is where your lower jaw attaches to your skull, making it possible for you to move your jaw to chew, talk, sing, drink, and do all of the other things that require opening and closing your mouth. 

At Oral & Facial Surgery of Mississippi in Flowood, Mississippi, Dr. Michael Nichols treats patients suffering from TMJ disorders. 

During a consultation, he determines the most appropriate treatment plan based on your symptoms, the underlying cause of the problem, and what, if anything, you’ve already tried. 

TMJ disorders can develop for a variety of reasons, including as a result of an injury or a disease such as arthritis. Some people develop problems because they clench their jaw or grind their teeth. 

Common symptoms of a TMJ disorder

Because TMJ disorders have so many potential causes, you may not realize you have a TMJ disorder. Common symptoms we see include: 

• Sore, aching jaws in the morning
• Headaches
• Neck pain
• Pain when biting down
• Arthritis in other parts of the body
• A past jaw injury
• Teeth that don’t meet properly when biting down
• Broken, loose, or worn teeth
• Difficulty using the front teeth to bite or chew food
• A jaw that clicks, pops, or catches when opening the mouth
• It hurts to open the mouth, eat, or yawn

Any of these symptoms could indicate something other than a TMJ disorder, so it’s important to schedule an exam with an expert like Dr. Nichols to determine the problem and its cause. 

Treatments for TMJ

The best treatment depends on the cause of your TMJ disorder. Sometimes resting your jaw is enough to resolve the issue. Eating soft foods, keeping your teeth apart when your jaw is at rest, and using heat and cold therapy are other relatively simple treatments that may help. 

Using stress management techniques or complementary therapies such as biofeedback or physical therapy may also prove beneficial. In some cases, Dr. Nichols recommends the temporary use of a clear, plastic splint to prevent you from clenching or grinding your jaw. 

More rarely, surgery to correct how your teeth fit together is necessary to adjust your bite. This situation usually occurs when a TMJ disorder has changed your bite. The solution may require orthodontics, jaw reconstruction, teeth restoration, or some combination of these treatments.

If you’re experiencing painful symptoms of TMJ disorder, call Oral & Facial Surgery of Mississippi today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Nichols.