TMJ Pain & Jaw Pain Treatment in Penrith

Jaw pain, clicking, headaches, difficulty opening your mouth or pain when chewing may be associated with a temporomandibular disorder (TMD).

The temporomandibular joints (TMJs) are the two joints that connect your lower jaw to your skull. These joints, together with the surrounding muscles and ligaments, allow your jaw to open, close and move from side to side.

Because TMJ and jaw pain can have different causes, there is no single treatment that is suitable for every patient. At Best Western Dental Centre in Penrith, treatment begins with an assessment to determine what may be contributing to your symptoms.

What is TMD?

Temporomandibular disorder, commonly called TMD or TMJ disorder, is a broad term describing conditions affecting the jaw joints, the muscles controlling the jaw, or both.

Some people have clicking or popping from their jaw joints without pain or limitation of movement. This does not necessarily require treatment.

However, an assessment may be appropriate when jaw symptoms are painful, persistent or affecting normal function.

Common Symptoms of TMJ Disorders

Symptoms can vary between patients and may include:

• Jaw or facial pain

• Pain around the TMJ, in front of the ear

• Pain or difficulty when chewing

• Jaw clicking or popping associated with pain or altered function

• Difficulty opening the mouth normally

• Jaw locking open or closed

• Jaw stiffness or tiredness

• Tender or tight jaw muscles

• Teeth clenching or grinding

• Headaches associated with jaw muscle tension

• Symptoms that are worse after waking or during periods of increased clenching or grinding

Headaches can have many different causes. Where headaches occur together with jaw pain, muscle tenderness, clenching or other jaw symptoms, we can assess whether the jaw muscles or TMJs may be contributing.

What Causes TMJ Pain?

TMD is often multifactorial, which means more than one factor may contribute.

Possible contributing factors include:

• Clenching or grinding of the teeth

• Overactivity or tension of the jaw muscles

• Injury or trauma to the jaw

• Changes within the temporomandibular joint

• Displacement of the cartilage disc within the joint

• Arthritis or degenerative joint changes

• Habits that repeatedly overload the jaw

• Stress that contributes to increased clenching or muscle tension

The way the teeth and jaws function may also be assessed, but a “bad bite” alone should not automatically be assumed to be the cause of TMJ pain.

TMJ Assessment at Best Western Dental Centre

An important part of treating TMD is first identifying where the problem is coming from.

Your assessment may include examination of:

• Your jaw opening and range of movement

• The temporomandibular joints

• Jaw clicking, popping or locking

• Jaw and facial muscles

• Areas of tenderness or pain

• Clenching and grinding habits

• Your teeth and signs of excessive wear

• Your bite and jaw function

• Previous injuries and the history of your symptoms

When appropriate, imaging or referral to another health professional may also be recommended.

This assessment helps us distinguish between problems that are predominantly muscle-related and those involving the TMJ itself, because treatment can be different.

TMJ and Jaw Pain Treatment

Treatment depends on the diagnosis, severity of the condition and the individual patient.

Where appropriate, treatment usually begins with conservative and reversible approaches. Different treatments may be recommended for muscle-related pain, joint-related problems, clenching or grinding, and jaw locking.

Self-Care and Jaw Habit Modification

For some patients, relatively simple changes can help reduce strain on the jaw joints and muscles.

This may include temporarily avoiding very hard or chewy foods, reducing excessive gum chewing, becoming aware of daytime clenching, applying heat where appropriate and performing specific jaw exercises.

Occlusal Splints and TMJ Appliances

A custom-made dental splint or other oral appliance may be appropriate for selected patients.

Different appliances have different purposes. The appliance recommended will depend on whether the symptoms are primarily related to muscle activity, clenching or grinding, or a particular type of TMJ problem.

For this reason, the same type of night guard or splint is not necessarily appropriate for every patient with jaw pain.

Teeth Clenching and Grinding

Clenching and grinding can place considerable load on the teeth, jaw muscles and TMJs.

Some people clench during the day without being aware of it, while others grind or clench during sleep. This may contribute to jaw-muscle fatigue, tenderness, headaches, tooth wear and TMJ symptoms.

Treatment depends on the individual situation and may include habit modification, protection of the teeth, management of excessive muscle activity and an appropriate dental appliance.

Treatment for Overactive Jaw Muscles

For some patients, TMJ pain may be associated with excessive activity or tension in the jaw muscles, particularly in people who clench or grind their teeth.

When overactive jaw muscles are contributing to jaw pain, muscle tenderness, tightness, fatigue or associated headaches, treatment may be directed at reducing excessive muscle activity and decreasing the load placed on the jaw joints and surrounding muscles.

Depending on the individual condition, a range of treatment options may be considered. These can include self-care and habit modification, jaw exercises, an appropriate dental splint or appliance, physiotherapy, and other treatments aimed at temporarily reducing excessive jaw-muscle activity.

Dr Nathan Le will assess the jaw joints and surrounding muscles, jaw movement, clenching or grinding habits and other possible contributing factors before recommending treatment.

Treatment is tailored to the individual, as TMJ pain may be predominantly muscle-related, joint-related, or a combination of both.

Jaw Clicking and Locking

A clicking jaw does not always require treatment, particularly if there is no pain and the jaw functions normally.

However, clicking associated with pain, intermittent locking, restricted opening or a change in the way the jaw moves may warrant further assessment.

Different types of internal TMJ problems can produce similar symptoms. Determining the likely type of joint problem is therefore important before recommending treatment or an appliance.

If the jaw becomes locked or opening becomes significantly restricted, further assessment should be arranged.

Orthodontics and TMJ Problems

Orthodontic treatment is not routinely recommended simply as a treatment for TMD.

However, some patients may also have an orthodontic or jaw-development problem affecting their dental function. Where this is present, orthodontic assessment and treatment may be considered for appropriate orthodontic indications as part of the patient’s overall dental care.

When Should I Have My Jaw Checked?

Consider arranging an assessment if you experience persistent or recurring:

• TMJ or jaw pain

• Pain when chewing

• Painful jaw clicking or popping

• Jaw locking

• Difficulty opening your mouth

• Facial or jaw-muscle pain

• Tight or tired jaw muscles

• Clenching or grinding associated with discomfort

• Headaches occurring together with jaw or facial-muscle symptoms

Jaw and facial pain can also have causes unrelated to the TMJ. If your symptoms do not appear to be dental or TMJ-related, referral to an appropriate medical or allied health practitioner may be recommended.

TMJ Dentist in Penrith

Dr Nathan Le and the dental team at Best Western Dental Centre assess patients experiencing TMJ symptoms, jaw pain, jaw clicking or locking, clenching and grinding, and painful or overactive jaw muscles.

Our approach is to first determine the likely source of the problem and then discuss treatment options appropriate to the individual patient, rather than assuming that every TMJ problem requires the same treatment.

Best Western Dental Centre is located at 95 Oxford Street, Cambridge Park, in the Penrith area of Western Sydney.

If you are experiencing persistent jaw pain or other TMJ symptoms, contact our team to arrange an assessment.

Frequently Asked Questions About TMJ Pain

What is the difference between TMJ and TMD?

TMJ stands for temporomandibular joint, the jaw joint located in front of each ear.

TMD stands for temporomandibular disorder, which refers to conditions affecting the jaw joints, jaw muscles or associated structures.

People commonly use the term “TMJ” when referring to TMJ pain or TMD.

Can TMJ problems cause headaches?

Jaw-muscle tension and some temporomandibular disorders can be associated with headaches. However, headaches have many possible causes.

An assessment can help determine whether the jaw muscles or TMJs may be contributing to your symptoms.

Can tight or overactive jaw muscles cause TMJ pain?

Yes. Excessive jaw-muscle activity, including clenching and grinding, may contribute to muscle tenderness, fatigue and jaw pain and may increase the load placed on the TMJs.

Where muscle overactivity is identified as a contributing factor, treatment may be directed at reducing excessive muscle activity.

Can overactive jaw muscles be treated?

Yes. Where excessive jaw-muscle activity is contributing to symptoms, treatment can be directed at reducing muscle activity and the load placed on the jaw and TMJs.

There are different ways of managing overactive jaw muscles. The appropriate treatment depends on the cause of the symptoms and is determined following an assessment.

Is jaw clicking a TMJ problem?

Jaw clicking can occur when structures within the TMJ move during opening and closing.

Clicking without pain or restricted movement is common and may not require treatment. Painful clicking, locking or difficulty opening the mouth should be assessed.

Can teeth grinding or clenching cause jaw pain?

Yes. Clenching and grinding can overload the jaw muscles, teeth and TMJs and may contribute to jaw pain, muscle fatigue, headaches and tooth wear.

Do I need a splint for TMJ pain?

Not everyone with TMJ pain needs a splint.

Whether an oral appliance is appropriate depends on the cause of the symptoms and the findings from your examination.

Can a night guard help TMJ pain?

A dental appliance may help selected patients, but different appliances serve different purposes.

A generic night guard is not necessarily the appropriate treatment for every TMJ condition. The type of appliance should be selected according to the individual diagnosis.

Can TMJ problems cause the jaw to lock?

Yes. Some TMJ disorders can cause intermittent or persistent difficulty opening or closing the jaw.

A jaw that repeatedly locks or has significantly restricted movement should be assessed.

How is TMJ pain treated?

Treatment depends on the cause of the symptoms. Options may include self-care and habit modification, jaw exercises, management of clenching or grinding, treatment of excessive jaw-muscle activity, an appropriate oral appliance, physiotherapy and referral for medical or specialist management where indicated.