T TMJ Treatment

Chronic pain and discomfort due to temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMJ, affects millions of people in America and can have severe effects on one’s way of life. The disorder can cause headaches, pain in the neck and shoulders, difficulty chewing and swallowing, and many other symptoms. The good news is there are many treatment options that can effectively reduce the effects of TMJ disorder. Dr. Schachtel and the dentists at The Smile and Implant Center can design a treatment plan that can help alleviate the effects of this common condition. To learn more, follow the links below, and then contact Dr. Schachtel for more information on TMJ treatment, or to schedule a consultation here at our practice.

• What is TMJ / TMJD and TMD?
• Do I have TMJ?
• What Can Cause Headaches?
• How Many People Have TMJ Related Pains?
• Why are TMJ and related problems so hard to diagnose?
• What if I’ve already had TMJ treatment before with a TMJ splint, and it was not effective? How will neuromuscular treatment help?
• Will a TMJ diagnosis mean I will need surgery?
• The Smile and Implant Center Solution…

What is TMJ / TMJD and TMD?

Temporomandibular Joint disorder (TMJ), also sometimes referred to as TMJD (temporomandibular joint disorder), is a term often used to describe a single, well-defined disorder. However, this is not entirely true. TMJ can actually encompass a broad class of conditions involving the jaw, head, neck and back system that may have nothing whatsoever to do with the temporomandibular joint(s). With this knowledge, the American Dental Association designates TMD, or temporomandibular disorders, the accepted terminology for these types of conditions.

TMD can cause a number of chronic, painful, even debilitating symptoms, including:

• Headache – whether chronic or recurring, this common symptom of TMD often occurs in the early morning or afternoon
• Grinding of the teeth usually at night and/or clenching of the jaw
• Clicking, popping or grating sounds in the jaw joints
• Ear aches or ringing in the ears may actually be pain in the jaw joints
• Pain in the jaw when chewing or opening wide
• Neck and back aches
• Difficulty or pain when closing the teeth together comfortably in a “normal” bite
• Teeth that don’t come together evenly, off balance, or one side hitting before the other

Patients with “TMJ” may experience one or several of these symptoms, but when the condition is first developing, any single symptom may be significant.

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Do I Have TMJ?

You may be able to get some clues as to whether you have TMJ by doing a simple test on yourself:

• Slowly open your mouth wide, then close it
• Repeat this action, only this time, see if you can notice which side of your teeth come together first, the left side or the right side
• If one side of the teeth hits before the other, and you are experiencing headaches and/or associated pains and clicks, you may have TMJ

Dr Schachtel may be able to significantly reduce, and possibly even eliminate many symptoms of TMJ with advanced treatment options.

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What Can Cause Headaches?

Interestingly, there are 4 primary classifications of headaches:

1. Migraines
2. Tension
3. Cluster and other nerve induced
4. Trauma and other

There are numerous causative factors for headaches but few good solutions.

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How Many People Are Affected By TMJ / TMD? What Causes It?

More than 35 million people in the United States alone are affected by TMJ / TMJD (TMD). It is an extremely common musculoskeltal condition resulting in pain and disability. TMJD affects about 5 to 12% of the population, yet it is estimated that only about half to two-thirds of people who have the disorder will seek treatment. TMJD is composed of a group of symptoms that involve the jaw or the temporomandibular joint. The condition is caused by a displacement of cartilage between the lower jaw and the skull. This cartilage, located on both sides of the face, extends to the front of the ears. To find the temporomandibular joints along your face, you can place your fingers in front of each ear while opening your mouth. The indentation under your finger is the area of the joint. The temporomandibular joints allow us to talk, yawn, sneeze, chew, and swallow – so, when the cartilage between these joints become displaced, the result can be pain and/or functional difficulty in a number of areas.

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Why Are Conditions Associated With TMJ Difficult to Diagnose?

Many dentists may not diagnose TMJ because they are not trained in neuromuscular TMJ treatment. The sheer number and type of symptoms a patient may be experiencing with TMJ may cause a general dentist or family doctor to ascribe them to another condition, or even be at a loss as to why symptoms such as bite problems are even occurring. This is why a trained neuromuscular dentist is typically necessary to recognize that these symptoms may be caused by displaced cartilage in the temporomandibular joint.

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What If I’ve Already Had TMJ Treatment Before With A TMJ Splint, And It Was Not Effective? How Will Neuromuscular Treatment Help?

The TMJ splint you had may not have been designed to conform to a neuromuscularly relaxed bite and jaw position. A computerized neuromuscular bite analysis can provide a uniquely-tailored splint that can allow the jaw to rest in a relaxed position. Unless you have had a complete bite adjustment and a neuromuscular computerized bite registration (TENS), then your splint is probably not allowing your jaw to live in its most relaxed position. As described in the video below, we have also used Botox as an effective treatment modality for TMJ related pains.

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Will A TMJ Diagnosis Mean I Will Need Surgery?

Surgery to improve the symptoms caused by TMJ is rarely necessary. There are a number of other treatment options that can address jaw and biting position and improve symptoms without surgery.

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The Smile and Implant Center Solution…

With over 35 years of experience and 25 years directly involved with TMJ and headaches solutions, we have had over a 90% success rate in reducing and in many cases eliminating TMJ related issues and headaches. The dentist often has other professionals as part of the team including chiropractors, neurologists, ENT’s, complementary physicians, acupuncturists, physical therapists and healers he can call on as needed.

But the dentist is the first doctor to see for treatment (assuming no cancers or related medical issues). Why? Teeth are the hardest substance in your body. Teeth will dictate reactions of the TMJ, associated muscles, incorrect bite, ear and neck aches and a host of other related symptoms usually translated by humans as “pain.” Only an experienced and knowledgeable dentist can diagnose and reliably treat the patient. Then the other professionals can do their job as necessary without any teeth interferences. Sounds logical? It is.

Try This…

Let’s do a simple test. Open wide and close your mouth slowly. Now do it again but this time as your teeth come together, which side hits first, left or right. If one side hits before the other and you have headaches, our TMJ Center usually can help get rid of or at least substantially reduce your headaches and associated pains.

Call 201-991-1055 and make an appointment. No downside except loss of headache.

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If you would like more information on TMJ and treatments that can help you reduce and even eliminate the pains, aches, and discomfort that this common condition can cause, please contact The Smile and Implant Center.

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