Curing and Preventing TMJ Disorders with Efficient Diagnosis, Tests, and Treatments

As TMJ disorders are caused by excessive stress or pressure on your jaw, to treat the problem, you should find ways to eliminate habits like tightening the jaw muscles, chewing gum, or clenching of the teeth. Below are some of the more common ways for people to treat or prevent a TMJ disorder from developing or worsening.

Now, a person can opt for one of the most common TMJ disorder treatments, which are surgery, dental treatment, or medication. Usually, over-the-counter medicines for pain relief or anti-inflammatory medicines like Ibuprofen are used to control the severe pain that accompanies TMJ disorders. An effective treatment for clenched jaws and grinding of the teeth is the use of a dental appliance called a biteplate. If the medication and dental treatment fail, in extreme cases, a person can try surgery after they exhaust all options. The last resort is to remove or repair the disk between the temporal bone and the jaw.

In order to figure where to begin a person will be asked to undergo a series of tests for the diagnosis of a TMJ disorder. Some tests might ask a person to move their jaw in various directions to test the feeling or noise of the joints. A person might also be asked to bite a small piece of wax in order to see the movements of the teeth coming together during a bite. In order to know exactly the setting of the jaw and to identify the problems relating to TMJ disorders, x-rays and other related procedures will be conducted.

It is suggested to seek the help of a chiropractor for treating TMJ. Chiropractors can provide chiropractic adjustments to the upper jaw. They can also give recommendations on nutrition, exercise, and general life style changes. The TMJ disorders can be treated well with stress management techniques as most of the disorders are caused by motions such as teeth grinding or chewing. In some cases, the use of orthodontic treatments works best.