TMJ Disorders Pittsburgh PA

Jaw Pain Treatment

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.

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 our doctors can utilize to improve the harmony and function of your jaw. Once an evaluation confirms a diagnosis of TMJ disorder, our doctors will determine if you are a surgical candidate and 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 in addition to possible mouth splint therapy.

Physical therapy for TMJ disorders is also an initial step to relieve facial muscle spasms, fatigue and pain. 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
• Applying ice and heat
• Exercising your jaw
• Practicing good posture

Stress management techniques such as biofeedback or physical therapy may also be recommended, as well as a temporary, clear plastic appliance known as a splint. A splint (or nightguard) 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 anterior positioning appliance moves your jaw forward, relives pressure on parts of your jaw and aids in disk repositioning. It may be worn 24 hours/day to help your jaw heal. An orthotic stabilization appliance is worn 24 hours/day or just at night to move your jaw into proper position. Appliances also help to protect from tooth wear.

What About Bite Correction or Joint 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 done by your general dentist. Surgical options, such open joint surgery or prosthetic replacement, are sometimes required for severe degenerative joint disease.

Our doctors do not consider TMJ surgery unless your jaw can’t open, is chronically dislocated and nonreducible, or has severe joint or disc degeneration.

TMJ SURGERY CONSULTATION 

AOMFS ONLY does surgical management of TMJ disease.

To schedule a TMJ surgery consultation with our surgeons to determine if you are a possible candidate for TMJ surgery, we require specialist specific information be submitted to our office for surgeon review prior to scheduling any TMJ visits with our practice.  This is a necessary requirement to best identify those patients who can potentially benefit from our scope of practice.  

Thank you for your understanding, it is our intent to identify and discuss treatment with those patients who can potentially best benefit from our specific services.

Our practice requires submission of the following to be considered for an appointment for possible TMJ surgery:

1. 1-2 Page Referral Letter – Must include the following:

1. Detailed outline history of present illness (HPI),
2. Any other related or important diagnoses (chronic pain conditions, medical/rheumatologic disease, etc.),
3. Treatments have been tried already and the responses, specific exam findings, the referring provider’s diagnosis (exhaustion of all conservative TMJ/TMD/MPD protocols required),
4. Referring to provider’s specific reason with TMJ ICD-10 code(s) for referral for a SURGICAL consultation.  
5. Advanced TMJ imaging, such as CT and/or MRI scans.

• Referral submission must include any and all related imaging (MRI preferred) for surgeon review.  Radiology reports must be submitted as well, but must include corresponding images 

Due to the volume of referrals our practice receives, submission of the above-mentioned information is deemed a requirement to meet with our providers to discuss any possible TMJ surgical therapy.

Once your referral summary has been reviewed, you may be contacted to schedule a surgical consultation if we feel that you meet specific criteria for TMJ surgery and could potentially benefit from our scope of practice.  

Thank you for your understanding, please contact our Allegheny General Hospital office to coordinate the submission of your referral material.