The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a joint in the jaw. TMJ disorders may manifest themselves through a variety of symptoms such as pain, clicking, grating noises or difficulty opening or closing your mouth.
The TMJ problems can arise from a number of things. Causes may be simply a bad bite, a joint injury or some problem with the muscles that control the jaw.
The TMJ is a sliding ball and socket joint. The two parts are supposed to work smoothly when you open and close your mouth. Within the joint there is a disc or shock absorber. The shock absorber cushions the contacts between what is called the “condyle” and the socket which is called the “fossa”. The lower jaw is called the “mandible”. The upper jaw is called the “maxillary”. The lower jaw, through the condyle, fits into the socket and allows the lower jaw to move.
TMJ Disorders Personal Injury-Treatment
There are a number of different modes of treatment. Some doctors may want to do a dental cast. This gives the details of your bite. It may show where there are any instances of improper joinder of the two jaws.
There are various forms of self-treatment. Keeping your teeth apart, maintaining good posture, applying heat and ice or simply exercising your jaw may help in many instances.
There are also a number of different relaxation techniques that may help including biofeedback.
Other options
The fixing of a splint on either the top or bottom teeth may help with grinding of the teeth at night. There may also be repositioning appliances that can be used to help to better position your jaw.
The application of braces by an orthodontist may help change your bite so as to minimize joint problems.
There is also restorative dental work that can be done that changes individual teeth in order to make the bite more even.
Arthroscopy may remove any scarring tissue on the disc that is in the joint. There may also be an option of tightening up any stretched connective tissue and ligaments that connect to the disc. Patients who have arthritis in the joint may need joint restructuring. This involves a repair of a deteriorated joint.
As is true with any significant injury, a detailed analysis by an appropriate healthcare provider is the first step on the road to recovery.
Call, or contact us for a free consult. Also for more info on personal injury see the Wikipedia pages. Also see the post on this site dealing with personal injury issues.
