How Does a Dentist Treat TMJ Locking?

TMJ disorders are issues that affect your temporomandibular joints. These are the hinge-like joints that connect your lower jaw to the rest of the jaw. They make all movements with the mouth possible. People with temporomandibular joint disorders often find themselves dealing with symptoms like pain, inflammation, and jaw stiffness.

At times, the patient’s jaw’s stiffness can be severe enough to lock up their jaw, temporarily or permanently taking away their ability to open or close their mouth. Lockjaw brings its own share of symptoms, which include:

• Headaches
• Facial pain
• Earaches
• Teeth clenching
• Clicking or popping sounds coming from the jaw
• A bad bite

How a dentist treats lockjaw caused by TMJ issues

Treatment for lockjaw starts with a dentist examining the patient to determine the cause of their problem. Getting treatment early on can be the difference between getting a permanent solution to your problem or dealing with chronic TMJ issues for the rest of your life.

The dentist's approach to treating the patient's issues depends on factors like how long the issues have persisted, their severity, and any underlying issues that could be contributing to it.

Some of the treatments a dentist might recommend to address lockjaw include:

• Physical therapy: Physical therapy can help to loosen the muscles and joints in the jaw. It can include exercises that involve opening and closing the mouth or massages to help alleviate stiffness and pain. Hot and cold compresses can also help loosen stiff muscles in the jaw and alleviate pain. Alternating between hot and cold compresses often provides the most relief
• Medication: If a patient is dealing with severe pain, the dentist might recommend prescription painkillers and anti-inflammatory medication. Reducing inflammation around the temporomandibular joints helps to reduce stiffness in the areas. Muscle relaxers might also be prescribed to help treat lockjaw
• Electric therapy: Electric nerve stimulation can be used to relax muscles around the jaw, alleviating any stiffness there
• Arthrocentesis: This is a minor surgical procedure that is used to remove structures that might be contributing to lockjaw in a patient’s temporomandibular joints
• Injections: Lockjaw can also be treated by injecting substances that temporarily paralyze muscles around the TMJ. This provides an effective temporary treatment for lockjaw caused by the muscles around the temporomandibular joints contracting excessively. The injection paralyzes these muscles, preventing them from contracting

Ready for TMJ relief?

There are many simple things you can do in combination with the treatment you get from a dentist to help alleviate the symptoms of lockjaw, like sticking to softer foods, taking smaller bites, and not opening your mouth too wide when yawning. Avoiding habits like chewing on gum, ice, or biting your fingernails also helps to reduce the pressure put on your TMJ.

Tired of dealing with pain, inflammation, and jaw stiffness? Give us a call or visit our Stoughton dental clinic to set up a consultation appointment.

Request an appointment here: https://dentistryonpark.com or call Dentistry on Park, LLC at (781) 443-8131 for an appointment in our Stoughton office.

Check out what others are saying about our dental services on Yelp: TMJ in Stoughton, MA.