Treatments for Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD)

June 10, 2008 - 7:30am

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Treatments for Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD)

The goals of treatment for TMD syndrome include:

Relief of pain
Increased mobility of joint
Reversibility of treatment in the event that it doesn’t actually relieve symptoms

Most doctors feel strongly that good, careful treatment for TMD should only include techniques that are simple and potentially reversible. Although a variety of treatments have been touted for TMD treatment, most doctors feel the more extreme, complex treatments have not proven helpful in the long term. They also note that some of these treatments, such as surgery, can have long-term negative effects.

Treatment may involve the following:

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]]>Other treatments]]>

Surgery is rarely recommended for TMD. If you are advised to have surgery, get a second opinion. If surgery is recommended, carefully research its benefits.

References:

Cummings CW. Otolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery . 4th ed. St. Louis, MO: Mosby; 2005.

Dambro MR. Griffith’s 5-Minute Clinical Consult . Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2006.

Okeson, Jeffrey. Clinical Management of Temporomandibular Disorders and Occlusion. 6th ed. St. Louis, MO: Mosby 2007.

Siccoli MM. Facial pain: a clinical differential diagnosis. Lancet Neurol. 2006;5:257-267.

TMD/TMJ (temporomandibular disorders). American Dental Association website. Available at: http://www.ada.org/public/topics/tmd_tmj.asp . Accessed September 17, 2008.

TMJ. American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery website. Available at: http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/tmj.cfm . Accessed September 17, 2008.

TMJ (temporomandibular joint and muscle disorders). National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research website. Available at: http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/OralHealth/Topics/TMJ/ . Updated August 2008. Accessed September 17, 2008.

Last reviewed June 2008 by ]]>Laura Morris-Olson, DMD]]>

Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.