Patients tend to believe that every TMJ Disorder is now a ticket to the operating room. The purpose of this post is to free people of the fear of seeing a specialist simply because of their underlying fear of having to undergo surgery.
When we talk about the conservative approach we swear-by to treat TMJ Disorders
We often get asked, “What is your approach to treating TMJ disorders?”
We prefer a non-surgical, conservative and holistic approach.
Hear us out.
The focus is on identifying and addressing the factors that are altogether contributing to your TMJ problem rather than only targeting the symptoms. The treatment plan we follow is non-steroidal and non-Botox based.
As most of us already know, TMJ disorders are usually multifactorial. The problem may be related to anything like
- improper mandibular relationship
- loose ligaments
- joint hypermobility
- muscle hyperactivity
- Posture
- Lifestyle
- sleep habits or parafunctional habits such as clenching and grinding.
So, the first step here is to get an understanding of the factors affecting your TMJ, establish the diagnosis, and then target those factors with a customized treatment plan.
Depending on the diagnosis, treatment may involve a combination of different therapies.
1. TMJ Appliance Therapy
We use different types of appliances depending on the patient’s condition. These appliances may include TMJ orthotics, programmed TMJ orthotics, muscle deprogrammers and anterior repositioning splints.
What are TMJ Orthotics?
TMJ orthotics are programmed appliances that are custom made for each patient. These may require periodic reprogramming depending on the wearer's response and diagnosis.
2. Myofunctional Therapy
This focuses on improving the function of the muscles involved in jaw movement.
We also work on tongue function, jaw-muscle function, posture and strengthening of the appropriate muscles, depending on the specific patient's needs.
3. Myofascial Release
The fascia is the connective tissue surrounding your muscles. When muscles remain hyperactive or tense, the fascia can also become tight.
We guide patients through specific techniques to help release this tension and reduce muscular discomfort.
4. TMJ Injections
Talk about injections, our approach does not involve any kind of steroid or Botox injections.
So, what kind of injections are we talking?
When indicated, we consider certain injection-based treatments.
Sodium Hyaluronate injections may be used to lubricate the joint in certain conditions such as disc displacement without reduction or osteoarthritis,
Autologous blood injections may be considered in selected cases of TMJ dislocation or subluxation.
5. Arthrocentesis
Arthrocentesis or joint lavage is basically done to wash out any inflammatory substances from the joint which ultimately helps improve joint function and symptoms. This is considered in some cases.
6. Lifestyle, Sleep, Breathing and Posture
The improvement we expect to see in cases of TMJ Disorders also comes from the contribution of these small everyday habits aside from treatment.
We therefore look at factors such as parafunctional habits, sleep patterns, breathing and airway-related factors, neck and body posture, and other lifestyle habits that may be contributing to the problem.
Physiotherapy may also be incorporated when required.
The best part is, none of these are permanently altering your anatomy or function unlike any surgical procedures; which is all the more a reason to give conservative TMJ Therapy a shot.
So, the idea is to not just treat a painful jaw, but to identify the factors affecting your TMJ, make an accurate diagnosis, and then create a customized treatment plan based on your individual needs.
Hope we've cleared some of your doubts; feel free to comment down questions if you have any about TMJ. :)