Seeing a TMJ specialist (or a specialist in temporomandibular joint disorders) is important if you're experiencing pain or discomfort in the jaw, face, or surrounding areas. TMJ disorders can significantly impact daily life, causing pain, difficulty chewing, headaches, and other symptoms. A TMJ specialist has the expertise to diagnose and treat these issues effectively.
Behaviours such as clenching, grinding, or holding the jaw rigid strain the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and the muscles of the face and neck. This may cause or contribute to pain in the head, face or neck; these pain symptoms are often called "temporomandibular disorders" or "oral facial pain disorders." When these muscle or joint tightening behaviours often occur (or over a long period), they become habits. That can be very difficult (but not impossible) to change.
What is the Temporomandibular Joint?
The temporomandibular joint is located on both sides of your head in front of your ears. It normally moves effortlessly. A soft cartilage disk acts as a cushion between the bones of the joint so that the joint moves easily.
Habits such as clenching, grinding, or holding the jaw rigid strain the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and the muscles of the face and neck. This may cause or contribute to pain in the head, face or neck; these pain symptoms are often called “temporomandibular disorders” or “oral facial pain disorders.” When these muscle or joint tightening behaviours occur often (or over a long period), they become habits.
No treatment will immediately cure TMJ disorders, but treatments that involve self-awareness of your habits combined with self-management and dental splints can relieve and control your symptoms.
Symptoms of TMJ disorders may include:
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Awareness of your jaw in the morning or throughout the day
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Pain or tenderness in the jaw on opening.
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Pain may be in one or both temporomandibular joints.
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Sensitive teeth in general.
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Pain in and around the ear.
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Difficult to chew or pain while chewing.
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Aching facial pain.
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Locking of the joint easily therefore making it hard to open or close your mouth.
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Headache.
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Neck pain.
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Eye pain.
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Tooth pain
TMJ disorders can cause tooth fractures and wear and tear in the teeth so it is important that a TMJ disorder is diagnosed and treated.
What TMJ Disorder Treatments do we offer?
We offer a range of treatments tailored to the specific type and severity of your TMJ disorder. These may include:
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Physical therapy or jaw exercises to strengthen and relax jaw muscles.
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Custom oral appliances or splints to correct jaw alignment and prevent grinding or clenching.
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Medications such as anti-inflammatories or muscle relaxants to reduce pain and inflammation.
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Surgical options (in extreme cases) if other treatments don’t work.
Night Guards for TMJ:
A night guard is a dental appliance designed to be worn while you sleep, and it can offer various benefits for individuals suffering from certain oral health issues. Here are several reasons why someone might get a night guard:
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How can you contact our team to book a sleep apnoea, snoring or TMJ consultation?You can contact our team today by phone or through the book a consultation section above.
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Where is our sleep apnoea, snoring, and TMJ clinic based?Sleep Apnoea, Snoring and TMJ is a Dublin based clinic.
Left untreated, TMJ disorders can worsen over time, potentially leading to chronic pain, permanent joint damage, and dental problems like misaligned teeth. Seeing a specialist early can help prevent further complications and preserve oral health.
TMJ disorders can sometimes be complex and related to multiple factors, such as stress, poor posture, dental alignment, or arthritis. A TMJ specialist has the expertise to understand the interactions between these factors and develop a comprehensive treatment plan to address your unique situation.
A TMJ specialist provides personalised care, ensuring treatment options are tailored to your needs and lifestyle. This could involve ongoing monitoring and adjustments to ensure that your symptoms are managed effectively, increasing your quality of life.
How We Can Treat Oral Habits for TMJ With A Behavioural Approach
Aims:
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To help relax the facial muscles and joints.
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To reduce habits such as clenching and bruxism.
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To encourage physical healing of muscles and joints.
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To increase awareness of behaviours that strain the joints and muscles of the head and neck.
Often, oral facial pain problems can be managed by:
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Working with the muscles and joints to rehabilitate them (e.g., physical therapy exercises, possible splint therapy)
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changing behaviours that put a strain on the muscles and joints (e.g., oral habits such as clenching).
Common Habits:
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Tooth clenching or grinding.
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Holding objects between teeth.
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Sucking on hard candy.
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Holding jaw muscles rigid.
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Biting nails or cuticles.
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Mouth or lip biting.
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Leaning on the chin.
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Tooth tapping habit.
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Unilateral chew. Jaw or tongue thrust.
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Sleeping on stomach.
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Chewing gum or gumballs.
Acquiring your new habit will involve relaxing the facial muscles, joints and tongue. The correct (relaxed) jaw position is tongue up, teeth apart, jaw dropped and relaxed. Check for the correct head and neck posture as well. You may also add a deep breath if this helps with general relaxation. Learning a new habit may be challenging if you are used to holding the tongue, teeth and jaw muscles in a different position.
Practice the new habit 2-3 times per hour. The team members will work with you to help you find a way to build a practice into your daily routine. The new habit takes only 10-15 seconds to practice; the challenge is to practice often. This practice involves a muscle relaxation exercise specific to the jaw, head and neck. At the same time, your awareness of incorrect oral habits will increase, and you will soon find yourself automatically “correcting” and relaxing when you notice muscle-tightening habits.
Other Contributing Factors:
Many other physical factors may contribute directly or indirectly to your pain. These may include sleep habits, dietary habits, caffeine use, alcohol, medication, exercise habits and
stress.
Chronic Pain:
Chronic pain is a term used to describe pain that has lasted for a long period with minimal or no relief. When you have had pain for a long period, you are more likely to find yourself increasingly frustrated, irritable and sometimes depressed. This is a fairly predictable and constant response to pain. If this is the case, you may want to discuss these frustrations with a team member. Often, there are different approaches and ways to change the lifestyle attitude that can be extremely helpful in dealing with frustration and depression as well as physical pain.
STRESS AND ORAL FACIAL PAIN:
Stress does not cause pain directly. Stress may make it more difficult to tolerate pain and may affect your motivation or ability to follow through with muscle rehabilitation, relaxation and other recommendations for healthier living. You may engage in poor habits more often when you are under stress. Learning general relaxation exercises and using alternative ways to deal with life challenges may be helpful to you.
Self-Care Programme for Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD)
The jaw meets the upper skull in front of the ear. The Joint that connects them is called the Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ). Noises in the jaw that are in the TMJ are extremely common in the general population. Joint problems involving the TMJ are slightly more common in women than men. Like any joint (hip, shoulder, and wrist), the TMJ or muscles in your jaw can be strained or injured.
The injury can be the result of a specific trauma to the jaw or can result from prolonged micro trauma from oral habits. There are also other causes of jaw problems. Once a joint or muscle is strained, it can easily be re-injured (like a sprained ankle, which is subsequently more prone to injury). Because we use the jaw for many activities (talking, eating, yawning, and laughing), the joints and the muscles are constantly moving.
Therefore, total relaxation of the jaw joint and surrounding muscles is difficult. However, holding the Jaw muscles and joints in a relaxed position is very manageable with practice. Regular attempts to relax the jaw muscles and avoid activities that would overwork the area will help reduce the pain and prevent additional strain on the area.
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How can you contact our team to book a sleep apnoea, snoring or TMJ consultation?You can contact our team today by phone or through the book a consultation section above.
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Where is our sleep apnoea, snoring, and TMJ clinic based?Sleep Apnoea, Snoring and TMJ is a Dublin based clinic.