Archive for the ‘TMJ’ category

What You Need to Know About TMJ Surgery

January 20th, 2012

TMJ surgery is one of the many forms of treatment used to treat the condition known as TMJ disorder. While TMJ surgery is one of the more extreme methods of treatment for TMJ for some people with the disorder TMJ surgery is the best, and possibly the only, available option. For most people with TMJ the disorder never progresses to a level or causes enough damage to where surgery is required.

There are a variety of different types of TMJ surgery, each of which tends to focus on a specific problem that is either caused by TMJ or is recognized to be the source of the disorder. In cases where TMJ surgery is required it is generally because the temporomandibular joint has been damaged to a point where non-surgical treatments will be ineffective. No amount of jaw exercised or relaxation therapy can repair a jaw that is misaligned or a temporomandibular joint that has physical damage. When TMJ surgery is necessary physicians and surgeons always try to use the least invasive procedure as possible because the risks are lower and there is a better chance for recovery. Because of that, arthroscopy is typically the first option that is considered due to the fact that it is minimally invasive and has an incredibly short recovery time. Unfortunately, because arthroscopy is performed using a small arthroscope that is inserted through a small incision the amount that can be accomplished with the procedure is somewhat limited and it is most often used prior to other forms of TMJ surgery to enable the surgeons to determine what type of repair needs to be performed. Arthroscopy at times is also used in order to aid in a procedure known as arthrocentesis which is the draining of fluid from in and around the joint using a needle.

After arthroscopy the other forms of TMJ surgery tend to be a bit more invasive and come with increase risks. After arthroscopy has been considered many of the next level surgical procedures that are considered fall into a designation known as arthroplasty, which is basically a procedure designed to improve the function of a joint through a variety of surgical methods. One of the most common types of arthroplasty to be used in TMJ surgery is a procedure known as disc repositioning. Surgeons generally use this procedure to reposition a cartilage disc in the temporomandibular joint that has slipped out of place. An out of place cartilage disk can result in direct cone on bone contact and make it incredibly painful to move the jaw. In most instances disk repositioning surgery can be performed in an hour or two and requires a rather short stay in the hospital for recovery.

When a disc repositioning surgery fails to fix the problem another type of TMJ surgery, known as a discectomy, will generally be the next best option. A discectomy is used when the cartilage disk is damaged beyond repair or when the disk fails to stay in position. During a discectomy the cartilage disk is removed from the joint completely so that scar tissue can form over time, which will prevent the bones in the joint from rubbing together. Because scar tissue must be allowed to form recovery from this particular form of TMJ surgery could take as long as 2-3 months.

If there has been severe damage to the joint that cannot be rectified by any of the less invasive procedures a type of arthroplastic procedure known as replacement may be the only option left. TMJ replacement is generally considered after all other options have been tried because the risks and recovery time for this particular type of TMJ surgery are higher than all of the others. TMJ replacement comes in two different variations, partial and complete. Partial TMJ replacement entails the removal and replacement of only a portion of the temporomandibular joint while complete TMJ replacement obviously requires that the entire joint be removed. In many cases, when a new joint is necessary it will consist of a transplant from the patient’s own rib that has been shaped to take the form of a new temporomandibular joint. During the procedure the jaw is temporarily wired shut in order to prevent muscle spasms and to give surgeons a clear view of the joint that needs to be replaced. In some cases it may be determined that the jaw needs to be wired shut for a short time after the procedure in order to facilitate a full recovery for the patient.

TMJ Surgery terms:

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Living with TMJ

January 20th, 2012

For most people with TMJ disorder living with the condition is a constant pain, both literally and figuratively. Even patients with mild cases of TMJ are forced to deal with symptoms that can have a progressively negative impact on the quality of life. Unless TMJ surgery is an option, which it isn’t for many people with mild forms of the disorder, there is really no complete solution to TMJ; the symptoms can be dealt with but the underlying problem almost always remains. It is akin to living with an incurable disease that while incurable, can still be managed to a degree where it is not a significant source of constant concern. Living with TMJ is not an ideal situation by any means but there are steps that people can take in order to prevent the disorder from controlling their life.

One of the most useful management techniques for those living with TMJ is a series of jaw exercises that are designed specifically to reduce the pain and tightness in the jaw muscle. Most people with TMJ find that jaw clenching and teeth grinding are effective ways to reduce the pain and tension in the jaw though in reality while they may offer short term relief they actually make the disorder much worse in the long term. Jaw exercises can be a helpful pain managing alternative to jaw clenching and teeth grinding while also helping to lessen the symptoms of the disorder over time. In order to determine which movements and exercises will be most beneficial to a patient with TMJ a physician or dentist will need to confirm the cause of the disorder as well as the cause for the discomfort, after which they can more accurately design a series of exercise specifically for each patient.

Relaxation techniques, while not effective for everyone, have been known to work in some cases for those living with TMJ. These techniques, such as yoga or meditation, theoretically help to relax the muscles in the body, including those in the jaw that have become tight and are causing pain and discomfort. A dentist or physician may also recommend that a bite guard be used while sleeping so as to prevent unnecessary clenching and grinding. While a bite guard is typically recommended for those with misaligned bite, which is a risk factor of TMJ, it also prevents those living with TMJ from unintentionally making the condition worse. After months or years of living with TMJ clenching and grinding can become second nature and it is one of the main lifestyle changes that needs to be made in order to effectively manage the disorder.

While muscle management and preventative techniques are quite useful, those living with TMJ generally consider pain management to be the most pressing concern. All of the above TMJ management techniques in the world won’t do much good unless the pain that accompanies the disorder can be effectively controlled. While many of the TMJ management techniques will help to reduce pain over time, most do very little to help with pain on a day to day basis. Because of this, it is often necessary to find ways alternative ways to manage pain other than the natural jaw clenching and teeth grinding that will exacerbate the disorder over time. Many of those that live with TMJ have found that the use of over the counter pain medications such as Tylenol, or an anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen, can help to lessen the symptoms of TMJ, making it much easier to live with on a daily basis. Other methods of reducing inflammation, such as a hot or cold pack, have proven to be successful as well since much of the pain caused by TMJ can be attributed to irritated or inflamed muscles and joints. If the pain of TMJ can be effectively dealt with without jaw clenching and teeth grinding the progression of the disorder can be slowly reversed over time. Unfortunately, in some cases the pain of TMJ has reached a point where it can no longer be managed by pain medications and natural practices, at which point the option of TMJ surgery must be strongly considered.

Living with TMJ is all about making the necessary lifestyle changes that are required in order to keep the disorder under control. Without these changes TMJ disorder will continue to worsen until it becomes unbearable and a more drastic method of treatment is needed, such as TMJ surgery. While managing TMJ can be a chore, it is much better than the alternative. With the variety of TMJ management techniques that have proved to be effective there is no reason for someone to resort to a life of constant pain and discomfort.

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The Risk Factors of TMJ

January 20th, 2012

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, also known as TMJ, is a common disorder of the jaw in which a problem with the temporomandibular Joint causes the muscles in the jaw become increasingly tight over time. It is estimated that around 10 million Americans are currently living with TMJ in one form or another, though the number of patients that have TMJ but fail to have it treated by a medical professional is impossible to discern. In an age when cancer and obesity are the most concerning health topics TMJ isn’t a major concern for most Americans until it is too late. The frustrating part is that many cases of TMJ can often be prevented, or at the very least managed more efficiently, if more people were aware of the TMJ risk factors. While TMJ isn’t limited specifically to those that exhibit common TMJ risk factors, those that have one or more of the following risk factors are much more likely to develop TMJ at some point in their lives than those that have no risk factors.

One of the most common risk factors for TMJ is a misaligned bite. A misaligned bite occurs when the lower and upper jaw do not fit together as they should and the teeth do not align. Most people that have a misaligned bite are born with it, though it is possible to develop it due to injury, and live with it for a long period of time. While a dentist will typically notice this condition early on, if it is not causing any negative symptoms or discomfort chances are no action will be taken to correct it. A misaligned bite can lead to the development of TMJ due to the fact that it puts an increased strain on the jaw muscles and the temporomandibular joint over time and even such basic actions as chewing can eventually lead to the development of TMJ. In some cases, a misaligned bite will only be fixed permanently after the need for TMJ surgery to repair the temporomandibular joint has arisen.

Another one of the most common TMJ risk factors is bruxism, more commonly known as grinding of the teeth and clenching of the jaw, which is a tick or bad habit that many people deal with throughout their life. Bruxism on its own is not generally considered a big deal, though it can damage your teeth over time, but it can lead to more concerning problems, such as TMJ disorder. Like TMJ, bruxism is attributed to a variety of different causes, though the most agreed upon is considered to be psychological. Many people that develop bruxism may not even know that they have it, especially if it only occurs while they are sleeping, so it can be rather hard to manage. Much like a misaligned bite, bruxism can lead to the development of TMJ over times as it puts added stress and strain on your jaw muscles and the temporomandibular joints. Those with bruxism are often prescribed a bite guard or dental guard to wear at night to prevent the teeth from rubbing together, though it can also be used to prevent continuous clenching and grinding that will lead to TMJ. Unfortunately, patient with TMJ often develop bruxism in response to the initial disorder because grinding the teeth and clenching the jaw is often one of the best ways to provide quick relief from the pain and tightness in the muscles. Like a misaligned bite, the damaged caused by bruxism over time may eventually need to be treated with TMJ surgery in order to restore the temporomandibular joints and the jaw muscles to full working order.

A TMJ risk factor that many never consider is arthritis, primarily because the condition is most often associated with the hands and extremities. Both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis can result in severe damage to the joints in the body overtime and while the joint in the hands are often the most noticeable the temporomandibular joints are in no way immune to this debilitating disease. Unlike a misaligned bit and bruxism, both of which can be dealt with through rather simplistic means, arthritis can never be completely prevented and can often require some sort of TMJ surgery to reverse years of damage to the joints in the upper jaw. While there is no 100% effective way of getting rid of arthritis or even preventing it from attacking the joint in your jaw, knowing that arthritis is a TMJ risk factor can help arthritic patients be on the lookout for initial signs of TMJ.