The jaw joint – or temporomandibular joint (TMJ) – sits just in front of each ear. It’s a pretty complex joint that’s controlled, moved and stabilised by a lot of anatomical structures. When one or more of these stops working in harmony with the others, we head towards the territory of TMJ dysfunction, also known as TMD.
What are the signs of TMD?
- Aching in, or just in front of, the ears
- Headaches, often that are worse on waking
- Pain or difficulty chewing, eating, talking
- Swelling
- Limited range of opening
- Clicking, popping or grating joint noises
What causes TMD?
- Trauma, for example a knock to the face or jaw
- Unexpected wide mouth-opening, eg a very wide yawn
- Eating very hard or chewy foods
- Clenching or grinding teeth – usually while asleep
- Stress
- ‘Parafunctional habits’ – eg nail-biting, pen-chewing, use of chewing gum
I’m worried I have TMD – what can I do?
The first instance would be to speak to your dentist. GPs normally can’t do much for the condition, whereas your dentist is perfectly equipped to assess your jaw joint and suggest methods to reduce discomfort and inflammation.
Most cases of TMD are self-limiting, lasting up to a couple of months with minimal active treatment. Get in touch if you’re concerned about your jaw joint and one of our dentists will be happy to investigate for you!
What can I do to treat TMD now it’s been diagnosed?
- Firstly, don’t worry! Most cases resolve after a period of time with many people not requiring any further treatment.
- Try a soft diet – excess chewing over-works muscles that are already very tired.
- Pain relief – if you can take it, ibuprofen helps to reduce both pain and inflammation associated with TMD. Paracetamol can be helpful too.
- Local heat, eg a hot water bottle, can be soothing and improve blood flow to the muscles which helps them relax.
- Rest the jaw as much as possible, and support it when yawning with the palm of the hand.
- A splint – your dentist can make you an appliance similar to a gumshield that is designed usually to be worn overnight, helping to support the joint and muscles around it.
- Trust in the process! There are a lot of approaches to managing jaw conditions, and in the rare circumstance that these initial management approaches don’t give much relief, your dentist can refer you to a hospital-led service that has more advanced techniques at their disposal. Very rarely, this can include surgery – but there are a number of steps before this.
If you have, or are worried you may have, an issue with your jaw joint, we’ll be happy to help at The Maltings. You can get in touch on 01476 563181 during working hours to book in for a consultation and assessment!
Dr James Edwards
Dental Surgeon
