Dental Insurance needed for TMJ treatment. I have TMJ and I need to find a dental insurance plan that offer benefits for the treatment of TMJ. I am 26 and may need to have braces. However plan current dental plan does not offer benefits for TMJ issues. I need to do something since I wake up every morning with my jaw locking and hurting me on and off though out the day. Do you have any dental plans that can help me. I live in Washington if that is helpful to you. Thanks .

I have crooked teeth not real bad but something I would like to fix.  I also think I may have a case of TMJ.  Not 100% sure but I do have TMJ systoms.  So my question is should I fix the TMJ first if I do indeed have TMJ.  Or can I get the braces first and worry about the TMJ after?  I would rather fix my crooked teeth.  Does anyone know?

I love to jog but have TMJ

Why is my jaw cracking and popping ?

My jaw for the longest time would make cracking or popping noises.  Not all the time only once in a while.  It never hurt so I did not give to much  thought to it.  However with the last few weeks it is happening more and more.  It sounds as if it is coming from behind my back teeth.  It still dose not really hurt or anything but once in a while it feels as if my jaw is locking.  Not for long like really quick but I still can feel it.  Anyone have an idea as to what it can be?

Understanding the beginning of TMJ

The temporomandibular joint connects the lower jaw, called the mandible, to the bone at the side of the head—the temporal bone. If you place your fingers just in front of your ears and open your mouth, you can feel the joints. Because these joints are flexible, the jaw can move smoothly up and down and side to side, enabling us to talk, chew and yawn. Muscles attached to and surrounding the jaw joint control its position and movement.

When we open our mouths, the rounded ends of the lower jaw, called condyles, glide along the joint socket of the temporal bone. The condyles slide back to their original position when we close our mouths. To keep this motion smooth, a soft disc lies between the condyle and the temporal bone. This disc absorbs shocks to the jaw joint from chewing and other movements.

The temporomandibular joint is different from the body’s other joints. The combination of hinge and sliding motions makes this joint among the most complicated in the body. Also, the tissues that make up the temporomandibular joint differ from other load-bearing joints, like the knee or hip. Because of its complex movement and unique makeup, the jaw joint and its controlling muscles can pose a tremendous challenge to both patients and health care providers when problems arise.

A variety of symptoms may be linked to TMJ disorders. Pain, particularly in the chewing muscles and/or jaw joint, is the most common symptom. Other likely symptoms include:

• radiating pain in the face, jaw, or neck,
• jaw muscle stiffness,
• limited movement or locking of the jaw,
• painful clicking, popping or grating in the jaw joint when opening or closing the mouth,
• a change in the way the upper and lower teeth fit together.

Trauma to the jaw or temporomandibular joint plays a role in some TMJ disorders. But for most jaw joint and muscle problems, scientists don’t know the causes. For many people, symptoms seem to start without obvious reason. Research disputes the popular belief that a bad bite or orthodontic braces can trigger TMJ disorders. Because the condition is more common in women than in men, scientists are exploring a possible link between female hormones and TMJ disorders.

There is no scientific proof that clicking sounds in the jaw joint lead to serious problems. In fact, jaw clicking is common in the general population. Jaw noises alone, without pain or limited jaw movement, do not indicate a TMJ disorder and do not warrant treatment.

The roles of stress and tooth grinding as major causes of TMJ disorders are also unclear. Many people with these disorders do not grind their teeth, and many long-time tooth grinders do not have painful joint symptoms. Scientists note that people with sore, tender chewing muscles are less likely than others to grind their teeth because it causes pain. Researchers also found that stress seen in many persons with jaw joint and muscle disorders is more likely the result of dealing with chronic jaw pain or dysfunction than the cause of the condition.

Because more studies are needed on the safety and effectiveness of most treatments for jaw joint and muscle disorders, experts strongly recommend using the most conservative, reversible treatments possible. Conservative treatments do not invade the tissues of the face, jaw, or joint, or involve surgery. Reversible treatments do not cause permanent changes in the structure or position of the jaw or teeth. Even when TMJ disorders have become persistent, most patients still do not need aggressive types of treatment.

Conservative Treatments

Because the most common jaw joint and muscle problems are temporary and do not get worse, simple treatment is all that is usually needed to relieve discomfort.

Self-Care Practices

There are steps you can take that may be helpful in easing symptoms, such as:

• eating soft foods,
• applying ice packs,
• avoiding extreme jaw movements (such as wide yawning, loud singing, and gum chewing),
• learning techniques for relaxing and reducing stress,
• practicing gentle jaw stretching and relaxing exercises that may help increase jaw movement. Your health care provider or a physical therapist can recommend exercises if appropriate for your particular condition.

Pain Medications

For many people with TMJ disorders, short-term use of over-the-counter pain medicines or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), such as ibuprofen, may provide temporary relief from jaw discomfort. When necessary, your dentist or doctor can prescribe stronger pain or anti-inflammatory medications, muscle relaxants, or anti-depressants to help ease symptoms.

Stabilization Splints

Your doctor or dentist may recommend an oral appliance, also called a stabilization splint or bite guard, which is a plastic guard that fits over the upper or lower teeth. Stabilization splints are the most widely used treatments for TMJ disorders. Studies of their effectiveness in providing pain relief, however, have been inconclusive. If a stabilization splint is recommended, it should be used only for a short time and should not cause permanent changes in the bite. If a splint causes or increases pain, stop using it and see your health care provider.

The conservative, reversible treatments described are useful for temporary relief of pain – they are not cures for TMJ disorders. If symptoms continue over time, come back often, or worsen, tell your doctor.

Botox

Botox™ (botulinum toxin type A) is a drug made from the same bacterium that causes food poisoning.  Used in small doses, Botox injections can actually help alleviate some health problems.  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Botox for the treatment of certain eye muscle disorders, cervical dystonia (neck muscle spasms), and severe underarm sweating, as well as for limited cosmetic use.  Botox has not been approved by the FDA for use in TMJ disorders.  Research is under way to learn how Botox specifically affects jaw muscles and their nerves.  The findings will help determine if this drug may be useful in treating TMJ disorders.
 

Irreversible Treatments

Irreversible treatments that have not been proven to be effective – and may make the problem worse – include orthodontics to change the bite; crown and bridge work to balance the bite; grinding down teeth to bring the bite into balance, called “occlusal adjustment”; and repositioning splints, also called orthotics, which permanently alter the bite.

Surgery

Other types of treatments, such as surgical procedures, invade the tissues. Surgical treatments are controversial, often irreversible, and should be avoided where possible. There have been no long-term clinical trials to study the safety and effectiveness of surgical treatments for TMJ disorders. Nor are there standards to identify people who would most likely benefit from surgery. Failure to respond to conservative treatments, for example, does not automatically mean that surgery is necessary. If surgery is recommended, be sure to have the doctor explain to you, in words you can understand, the reason for the treatment, the risks involved, and other types of treatment that may be available.

Implants

Surgical replacement of jaw joints with artificial implants may cause severe pain and permanent jaw damage. Some of these devices may fail to function properly or may break apart in the jaw over time. If you have already had temporomandibular joint surgery, be very cautious about considering additional operations. Persons undergoing multiple surgeries on the jaw joint generally have a poor outlook for normal, pain-free joint function. Before undergoing any surgery on the jaw joint, it is extremely important to get other independent opinions and to fully understand the risks.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) monitors the safety and effectiveness of medical devices implanted in the body,including artificial jaw joint implants. Patients and their health care providers can report serious problems with TMJ implants to the FDA through MedWatch at www.fda.gov/medwatch or telephone toll-free at 1-800-332-1088.

Source: http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/OralHealth/Topics/TMJ/TMJDisorders.htm

There is no widely accepted, standard test now available to correctly diagnose TMJ disorders. Because the exact causes and symptoms are not clear, identifying these disorders can be difficult and confusing. Currently, health care providers note the patient’s description of symptoms, take a detailed medical and dental history, and examine problem areas, including the head, neck, face, and jaw. Imaging studies may also be recommended.

You may want to consult your doctor to rule out known causes of pain. Facial pain can be a symptom of many other conditions, such as sinus or ear infections, various types of headaches, and facial neuralgias (nerve-related facial pain). Ruling out these problems first helps in identifying TMJ disorders.

Source: http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/OralHealth/Topics/TMJ/TMJDisorders.htm

Jaw and teeth pain

The back of my teeth top and bottom are starting to hurt.   Lately I have been noticing that my jaw and the back of my teeth hurt. They are sore and I can not seem to really open my mouth wide.  I went to the dentist and he told me that I do not have any cavities and my teeth are fine.   I did not at the time tell him how they were hurting because it just started.

However since I just had a check up less then two months ago I do not think I have any cavities.  Any one have any ideas as to why they hurt now?

There was not enough information to know what your exact problem is.  Are you saying you may have TMJ?   TMJ is:  Temporomandibular joint  syndrome which  is a condition of facial pain in the joints of the lower jaw.

Treatment will very depending on underlying cause of the problem and how to go about correcting it.  Here are a few ideas.

1) You maybe able to just use heat pack and eat softer foods

2) You maybe able to take muscle relaxant medications

3) Or use bite guards at night to prevent grinding your teeth when you sleep.

4) Go to your dentists or orthodontists they would also be able to treat your TMJ issues.

5) Reconstructive surgery of the jaw.

There are more things you can do but I would suggest you start with your dentist.  They will not only be able to advise treatment but can confirm if you in fact have TMJ.

There can be many resons for your pain.  You may be  grinding your teeth when you sleep making your jaw hurt.  You also may have TMJ.  Some of the systoms of TMJ is jaw pain, and craking poping sounds.  Either way I would check with your dentist and see what they advise.

Yes,  a orthodontist will know if you have a TMJ issues and be able to treat you for it if you do. So yes ask your dentist to check for that.

It can depend on the degree of your overbite. You may want to discuss this with an orthodontic dentist. After discussing it with an orthodontic dentist you feel that it would not cause any bite or TMJ issue latter, then it is really up to you weather you feel like you want them to correct the overbite of not.

I did some searching regarding your problem. It seems to be a common,problem for people. Most of what I could find were saying that it is a TMJ issue or perhaps you are clenching/grinding your teeth at night when you are asleep.

Here is a web site I found that tells you what TMJ is
http://www.essortment.com/all/whatistmj_…

You may also wish to consult your dentist as to what is going on either way they can help treat you. If you do not have dental insurance or a dental plan here is a web site that may help you on that

http://www.drdental.com/

I hopes this helps

I am not sure about your discomfort in your arm. However, you may have TMJ issue or perhaps you are clenching/grinding your teeth at night when you are asleep.

I did some searching regarding your problem. It seems to be a common,problem for people.

Here is a web site I found that tells you what TMJ is
http://www.essortment.com/all/whatistmj_…

You may want to speak to the dentist you are seeing and explain all of what is going on. They should be able to advise you and to help treat your issues relating to your teeth.

Source:  http://www.insurancecompany.com