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Friday, February 10, 2017

By Kevin Edwards


The TMJ or temporomandibular joint is the joint as well as the jaw muscle which help when closing or opening your mouth. These joints are normally on either side of the head, and they normally work together when swallowing, speaking, and chewing. On the other hand, these joints control the mandible when moving forward and backwards. Nevertheless, a person suffering from this disorder should see tmj dentist Atlanta.

A temporomandibular joint usually have discs that lies between the socket and ball. The discs usually cushion the load thereby helping the jaw to rotate and open widely. However, if a problem is preventing these complex system made of discs, ligaments, bones, and muscles from working efficiently, the temporomandibular joints disorder arises which is usually painful.

The causes of this disorder are such as dislocation, injury, arthritis, stress and teeth grinding, and tooth and jaw alignment. During treatment, proper diagnosis is usually important to know the cause of the problem before treatment. A dental examination will include checking the muscles and the joints for tenderness, difficulty moving, and clicking. After the diagnosis, the dentist may recommend you see a physician or another specialist dentist.

Generally, there are symptom that indicates you could be having the TMJ disorder. For instance, popping, clicking or grating noises while chewing or moving your mouth is a sign of this disorder. Also, painful feeling around the jaw and in front of the ears is also an indication of this disorder. A person may also experience difficulty when opening the mouth as the jaw feels tight making it difficult to eat. Other symptoms are such as migraine or headache, blocked sensations in your ear, and painful neck or back.

In Atlanta GA, a patient begins the treatment by visiting a dentist or a general practitioner to have the diagnosis and discuss the most suitable treatment option. First, non-surgical treatment options are tried and involve lifestyles changes and the self-physiotherapy treatment. Nevertheless, when the disorder is too severe, a patient may be referred to a maxillofacial surgeon for further treatment.

Lifestyle changes, as well as self-physiotherapy techniques which could help improve the disorder, include resting the joints by avoiding chewing gum and taking soft foods. Again, you can hold a warm or cold funnel for around 20 minutes to the jaw several times daily. You may also massage the muscles around the joints and perform self-relaxation techniques to relieve stress.

Medications like the painkillers may also help relieve pain caused by this disorder. If such medications are not effective, stronger ones may be recommended such as muscle relaxant and the antidepressants. In case the disorder is due to a disease like the arthritis, steroid injections could be used to reduce joint pain and swelling.

Nevertheless, when the mentioned treatment options are not effective, specialists may recommend you get a surgical treatment. Such treatment is usually recommended when the problem is TMJ and not chewing muscle problem. However, only few people get total joint replacement.




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