How Is TMJ Treated? What Happens If It Goes Untreated?

People ask, “How do you treat TMJ problems and what happens if we leave them alone?” Most of the time you don't want to leave them alone because they're painful. Your muscles hurt. Your jaw is stiff in the morning when you wake up. Or it may wake you up at night. It may be after a long, stressful day and you've been clenching and your jaw has been rocking because your teeth don't fit together correctly. Then you will want to treat it, trust me.

How we treat it, is we find out what is causing the dysfunction. Why are your muscles cramped and stressed and always on and never relaxed? We do that by finding out through various techniques which teeth are interfering with your jaw closing where your body wants your jaw to close. And therefore you get one or two teeth points that rock back and forth all the time, and the muscle can never relax. We do that by wearing a nightguard, usually a splint that is after lab techniques put in the correct position so that the teeth will come together on the splint in the correct way and allow these muscles to relax.

You can wear it like that, or we can go to the next step and try to get where you never have to wear the splint again by adjusting those teeth that are interfering. If you don't treat it, you're going to have, sooner or later, a TMJ problem probably. You either have cramped, popping, clicking all kinds of situations that you'd rather not get into. And plus, you have to understand the teeth. People think of teeth like they're a concrete pillar on a concrete floor. They're not like that.

They don't move fast, but they do move and they do flex and they respond. Your jaw bone does the same thing. They're always in a state of flux for your entire life. And it's easy for one of them to get a little aggressive in certain instances and you get a jaw problem. So you want to get it treated.

Want To Learn More About TMJ Issues?

If you have any questions or concerns about TMJ or other dental issues, contact us by phone or by filling out the form below. One of our dental specialists will be happy to answer any questions you might have. You can also set up a free consultation with Dr. Gary L White to talk with him personally about TMJ issues.