The temporomandibular joint, also known as the TMJ, is the joint that connects your jawbone to each side of your skull. The TMJ moves your mouth up and down and left and right. You use it when you open and close your mouth to speak, yawn, chew, and swallow food. You probably will not ever think much about it, unless you develop discomfort or pain from TMJ disorder, which is wear and tear that can be caused by the mouth movements you make over and over again in your everyday life.
Typically, TMJ disorder causes mild to sharp pain in the jaw joint and surrounding area. That can result in difficulty opening and closing your mouth, headaches, earaches, and neck pain. Clenching and grinding your teeth, injury to your jaw, repetitive chewing movements, and aging can all contribute to TMJ disorder. And as with other joints in your body, issues can also be caused by arthritis.
Is There a Permanent Cure for TMJ?
TMJ disorder can be permanently cured with proper care and treatment. In most cases, especially those that are mild or moderate, do not require that you seek professional help from your dentist or regular medical provider. You can manage the pain on your own and eventually rid yourself of it.
Taking the following prevention steps can help relieve TMJ disorder:
- To prevent bruxism, or clenching and grinding of your teeth, use a mouthguard, especially during sleep.
- Avoid unnecessary pressure on your mouth and jaws by not chewing hard foods like hard candy or ice, or by not opening your mouth too wide to eat foods such as apples or large sandwiches.
- Discontinue bad personal habits like nail biting and overly forceful gum chewing.
Applying cold packs or moist heat can also help alleviate mouth and jaw pain and reduce inflammation and swelling:
- Cold packs help with occasional sharp pain. If you do not have a cold compress or ice pack, wrap ice cubes in a clean cloth and apply it to your jaw. Use for no more than 15 minutes.
- Moist heat helps with dull, steady pain. Use hot water and a washcloth to promote blood flow and muscle relaxation and to help with muscle stiffness.
What if My Pain Does Not Go Away?
In many cases, TMJ disorder is the result of bruxism, which is the clenching of the jaw and grinding of the teeth. Your dentist may provide you with a custom-made mouthguard that fits over your upper or lower teeth to provide cushion and help you avoid bruxism.
Over-the-counter drugs such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen can provide temporary relief from TMJ disorder. If your pain continues and negatively affects your everyday life, make an appointment with your dentist or other healthcare professional to discuss possible causes and treatment options. For unbearable pain, your dentist or doctor may prescribe a stronger pain medication.
If necessary, physical therapy for the jaw can be effective in treating symptoms of TMJ disorder. Surgery is usually a last resort after more conservative efforts to address the problem have failed.