Patients dealing with TMJ disorder suffer from moderate to severe pain that may or may not affect their ability to function in daily life. Whichever case applies to you, it is important to know how to cure TMJ permanently and without any side effects to restore the function of your mouth. In this guide, you will learn about the treatment options and how you can get relief from pain.
How to Cure TMJ Permanently
Can you cure TMJ permanently? This is a question which is definitely on the minds of those who are dealing with TMJ pain.
The good news is that you can cure TMJ permanently. If you can identify the cause, you can reverse the condition and get the relief you need. The cure won’t happen overnight; it will require persistent effort to ensure that you can address the cause and prevent it from happening again.
Understanding the Cause
People suffering from TMJ commonly focus on the symptoms. They look for ways to address the symptoms and manage the pain associated with this condition. However, this is not a reliable approach, especially if you want to know how to cure TMJ permanently. The goal must be to determine the cause of your TMJ disorder to find a permanent cure.
TMJ experts also advise against self-managed care, especially as the first line of treatment for TMJ disorder. You need a treatment plan that focuses on the underlying cause of TMJ. Otherwise, you will continue to experience pain and will only get temporary relief.
TMJ doctors will conduct a thorough analysis of the symptoms. However, determining a treatment plan won’t be based on the symptoms. Instead, they use it to analyze what is causing those symptoms to manifest as it will point them to the cause. A multipronged approach is best if you want to know how to cure TMJ permanently.
Treatment Options for TMJ Without Side Effects
There are several treatment options available if you want to cure TMJ permanently without any adverse effects.
Get a Dental Scan
Before choosing a treatment for TMJ disorder, you must first undergo a 3D dental scan. This procedure is recommended by dentists and TMJ specialists for anyone who is suffering from this condition. The goal of the dental scan is to analyze the structure of the jaw, the surrounding joints, mouth, and gums to determine the cause of the TMJ pain.
The 3D scan can also capture an image of your nerves, tissues, and bone structure. If you want a long-term and permanent cure for TMJ, this procedure is important to help TMJ specialists recommend a customized treatment plan.
Fix Dental Issues
Disc displacement is one of the most common reasons for TMJ problems. It happens as a result of misalignment in the teeth and jaw. This type of TMJ problem can also be associated with other dental issues like overbite, underbite, and crossbite.
Orthodontic experts can help fix these misalignment issues. They can recommend that you wear braces or Invisalign to force your teeth to move to the correct position. If your TMJ disorder is due to misalignment, you can also expect the symptoms associated with this condition to go away. There are different reconstructive treatments recommended for TMJ caused by misalignment. Your dental specialist would determine the best one to use according to your unique dental condition.
Custom-Made Splints
A dental splint that is custom-made can be fitted onto your upper or lower teeth. This splint will become a cushioning agent for your teeth to prevent damage when you have the urge to clench them. The cushion also eases the tension on your jaw joint.
Even if the pain is gone, dental experts recommend that you keep wearing the splint. This will give your joints extra time for recovery. During this time, you should also stick to a soft food diet.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy helps to cure TMJ permanently with no side effects. It involves doing exercises that are made for strengthening your jaw joints, such as forward jaw movement, tongue up, and chin tucks. Doing jaw exercises expand the range of your mouth so that it won’t cause any pain when you open or close it.
Of all the treatment options available for TMJ disorder, physical therapy is one that that has a good prognosis. In comparison to splints, therapeutic exercises are more effective in restoring jaw function.
TMJ Surgery
Surgery is the last resort when looking for a permanent cure for TMJ. Dental experts do not recommend surgery unless all other treatment options have been explored. Arthroscopy is the procedure that involves correcting the position of the joints. The proper positioning of the joint can restore function and eliminate pain associated when moving those joints.
At-Home Care and Lifestyle Tips
As part of your effort in curing TMJ permanently, there are additional at-home care and lifestyle tips you need to adopt. Below are some of the things you need to incorporate into your treatment plan:
- Perform jaw exercises. Exercising the jaw muscles can ease TMJ pain. Your doctor or physical therapist can advise you on the best exercises to perform in case of jaw pain.
- Stick to a soft food diet. Eating soft food like soups and oatmeal is recommended if you suffer from TMJ pain. This type of diet requires less work on the jaw muscles when chewing your food.
- Facial relaxation techniques. TMJ disorder not only affects your jaw; it can also involve the facial muscles. Use massaging techniques to relax your facial muscles and get relief from TMJ pain.
- Use moist heat. The use of moist heat for treating the joint injury is common. You can also use this same approach when treating your jaw joints and providing lasting relief.
Depending on the severity of your condition, TMJ disorder and its symptoms could go away after some time even without medical intervention. If you are suffering from severe discomfort, you can start with the treatments listed here to manage your condition and eliminate pain for good. But if your situation is unmanageable, consult the experts so they can create a treatment plan that is made for you.
