TMJ Treatment Specialist

Rockwell Oral and Facial Surgery Our Services TMJ Treatment

Rockwell Oral and Facial Surgery

Oral Surgeon & Maxillofacial Surgeon located in Poncey Highland/Midtown, Atlanta, GA

The hinged joint on either side of your face that allows you to move your jaw is called a temporomandibular joint (TMJ). If damaged or worn, the TMJ can cause pain and problems with eating and talking, but if you're having TMJ problems, the highly experienced professionals at Rockwell Oral and Facial Surgery in Poncey-Highland, Midtown Atlanta, can help. The team has specialist expertise in TMJ treatment, so call Rockwell Oral and Facial Surgery today or book an appointment online.

TMJ Treatment Q&A

What is TMJ?

TMJ is short for temporomandibular joint. These are the joints in the side of your face that link the lower jaw (mandible) to your skull. The TMJ enables you to move your jaw from side to side and forward and backward, so you can chew, speak, and swallow.

Each joint consists of a ball and socket arrangement with a disc between which supports the jaw movements. There are also muscles and ligaments connecting the bones and making movement possible.

If any of the structures that make up the TMJ get damaged or suffer from deterioration, it can cause the pain and dysfunction of a TMJ disorder.

What can cause a TMJ disorder?

Some common causes of TMJ disorders include:

  • Arthritis
  • Dislocation
  • Injury
  • Poor tooth alignment
  • Faulty jaw alignment
  • Jaw clenching  
  • Teeth grinding

Clenching your jaw and grinding your teeth are often signs of stress.

To find out why you have a TMJ disorder, your provider at Rockwell Oral and Facial Surgery carries out a physical exam. They check for any tenderness or pain, problems with range of movement in your jaw, and any clicking or popping in the joint. You might also need to undergo diagnostic imaging tests like an X-ray or CT scan to find the right TMJ treatment option.

What TMJ treatment is available?

Initial approaches to TMJ disorders are likely to involve conservative measures such as:

  • Eating soft food
  • Not chewing gum
  • Not biting your nails
  • Using heat packs
  • Meditation
  • Biofeedback

By resting the TMJ and learning to relax your facial muscles, you might find the TMJ disorder resolves without needing any further treatment.

If these TMJ treatments don’t solve the problem, your provider at Rockwell Oral and Facial Surgery can create a treatment plan for you that could involve:

  • Facial exercises
  • Muscle relaxants
  • Pain-killing medication
  • Anti-anxiety drugs
  • Anti-inflammatories
  • Nightguard
  • Bite plate

If the TMJ disorder is due to misalignment of the teeth or jaw, you might need orthodontic treatment or surgery to fix the problem. The Rockwell Oral and Facial Surgery team has extensive experience of finding the best TMJ treatment for your particular disorder, restoring you to full function, and eliminating pain wherever possible.

Call Rockwell Oral and Facial Surgery today to find out more about TMJ treatment or use the online booking tool to schedule an appointment.

What we offer

Services