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The Truth About Teeth
If You Have Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, There's A Surprising Way A Dentist Can Help
Lonnie Davidson
Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) can be very painful and difficult for people to tolerate. Unfortunately, most cures for this disorder involve going through intensive surgery, which can come with a long recovery time and potential complications. However, if you're looking for quicker relief with less risk, there's a good chance that your local dentist may be able to help you in a surprising way. Here's what they can do for you.
Why TMJ Creates Problems
Temporomandibular joint disorder is a disorder of the hinges responsible for allowing the upper jaw to move up, down, and slightly side-to-side. Like any other joint in the body, it's designed to be able to perform these movements to a certain degree as often as needed. However, damage to this joint, birth defects, genetic disorders, and even certain growth complications can cause the joints to not work properly.
When TMJ develops, many people experience a recurring cycle of pain and stiffness. This is because the jaw joint can make it difficult to open and move your jaw around and can induce pain. Sometimes this leads to people grinding their teeth, either while awake or asleep, which increases strain on the joint, making the symptoms worse.
How Dentist Can Help
Dentists have a variety of ways that they can help with this particular problem, like building you a jaw guard so that you don't grind your teeth together in your sleep. However, they can also target the problem at its core with an injection of Botox.
Botox is typically thought of as purely a cosmetic application, but it's also useful for certain health conditions where muscle spasms and tightness are a chronic problem. For TMJ, Botox injections to the joint help to loosen the surrounding muscles, reducing strain on the joint and allowing it to better serve its purpose. While this won't solve all of the problems that come with TMJ, it can lead to less pain.
What to Expect
If you have TMJ and are interested in this procedure, you'll need to have a consultation with a dentist. They'll listen to your concerns, examine your teeth and jaw, and use any dental scans that you've had in the past to take a look at the jaw joints. From there, they can determine if Botox is a good solution for you.
If they think it's a good fit, the procedure can begin immediately at your next appointment. A tiny amount of Botox will be injected into the joints on either side of the jaw. Botox works immediately, so you may instantly feel the difference. The real relief may take a few days to fully take effect, however, as the muscles fully relax and recover from their chronic tightness.
Reach out to a dentist to see if Botox is a good option for you.
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