Can temporomandibular joint dysfunction be cured?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor II Nguyen Khanh Nam - Doctor of Odonto-Stomatology - Department of General Surgery - Vinmec Nha Trang International General Hospital.
Temporomandibular joint dysfunction not only causes noises when the patient opens or chews, but they also cause pain and discomfort. Patients with temporomandibular joint disorders due to various problems can include arthritis, trauma to the jaw bone, or muscle fatigue due to jaw tightening or grinding teeth. So what is temporomandibular joint dysfunction and can temporomandibular joint dysfunction be cured? This article will help readers answer this question.

1. What is temporomandibular joint dysfunction?

Temporomandibular joint dysfunction is a disorder involving the masticatory muscles, the temporomandibular joint, or both. But the manifestation of this disease is often not obvious, transient, even some people recover spontaneously, so most people don't care much. Although the disease is not fatal, if detected slowly, it will be very difficult to treat and cause discomfort and fatigue to the body.
Temporomandibular joint dysfunction will cause periodic pain, muscle spasms and imbalance in the joint between the mandible and the skull. It is the only movable joint in the craniofacial system, which plays an important role in the functional activities of the masticatory system. When there is a temporomandibular joint disorder, pain in the temporomandibular joint – the joint on either side of the head in front of the ears, where the jawbone meets the skull. Therefore, when sick, it will affect communication, eating, affecting daily activities.

2. Symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorder

Symptoms that can be recognized when having temporomandibular joint dysfunction:
There is a feeling of pain or fatigue in the jaw muscles when talking, eating, chewing, opening the mouth, clenching the jaws, chewing hard food.. Pain sensation in chewing muscles: jaw angle, submandibular area. Pain in front of the ear, pain in the ear. Pain in the temples, neck-shoulder-neck muscles. Crackling sound when opening or closing the jaw. Headache, migraine. Jaw stiffness: difficult to open the mouth wide, when opening big can deviate the jaw. It can also cause a crackling sound when opening the mouth or chewing. Pain is the most prominent symptom of temporomandibular joint dysfunction and often prompts people with joint dysfunction to seek medical attention, which can range from mild, dull pain to intense pain.

3. Causes of temporomandibular joint disorders

There are many causes of temporomandibular joint dysfunction, which can include:
Genetic factors, causing the TMJ to be misaligned due to congenital defects. Teeth grinding or the habit of clenching teeth (consciously or unconsciously), increases pressure on the jaw muscles and damages the temporomandibular joint. Being impacted from the outside causes trauma to the temporomandibular joint, possibly due to unsafe sports or labor activities. Misaligned, sparse or missing teeth lead to misalignment. Unscientific eating habits, chewing on one side or using a lot of hard and difficult foods every day. Stress and psychological stress lead to involuntary jaw muscle contraction reflex, forming the habit of grinding teeth while sleeping.

4. Can temporomandibular joint dysfunction be cured?

The answer is yes. Depending on the condition of the temporomandibular joint disorder of each patient, the treatment method will be different. Usually, patients will be treated with medical therapy combined with exercises to treat TMJ disorders. Advice on nutrition – rest, grinding, orthodontics, chewing trays, orthodontics...
For drug treatment. The doctor may prescribe pain relievers, muscle relaxants, etc.
If the patient is ill due to stress or poor anxiety, the doctor or dentist may refer to an experienced psychologist experience in cognitive behavioral therapy. This approach includes interventions to help with awareness and behavior change, learning relaxation techniques, and managing stress.
There are also cases where the disease can improve on its own without treatment. If symptoms persist, your doctor may recommend medication or bite protection to help keep your teeth from grinding at night. In very rare cases, surgical repair or replacement of parts of the joint may be required.
In addition to medical treatment, the patient is also proactive in the treatment process such as:
Being more aware of stress-related habits - clenching the jawbone, grinding teeth or chewing - will help reduce the frequency of pain . Avoid overuse of jaw muscles. To minimize the use of jaw muscles like Eat soft foods. Food is cut into small pieces. Avoid sticky or chewy foods such as chewing gum as it will require long chewing activities leading to jaw fatigue. Do not open your mouth too wide while yawning. Your doctor or dentist can show you how to do jaw stretching and massage exercises. There are also exercises to raise the head, neck and shoulder posture. Applying warm, moist heat or ice to the sides of the face can help relax muscles or relieve pain

Temporomandibular joint disorder is a condition that causes joint dysfunction or pain in the face including headaches, often occurring in or around the TMJ with damage to muscles, ligaments, and joints.
Treatment of temporomandibular joint disorders:
Medical treatment Relieve stress Physiotherapy Change bad habits affecting the joint system Chewing and relaxation trays Grinding and adjusting the bite Reconstructing the bite with prosthetics teeth, orthodontics, ... Importantly, patients with temporomandibular joint disorders need to be periodically re-examined as prescribed by their doctor for the best monitoring and treatment.
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