A Guide To Getting Effective TMJ Treatment Atlanta

By Raymond Snyder


It is estimated that at least ten million Americans suffer from Temporomandibular Joint disorder. The condition is highly uncomfortable and may affect the quality of life. To get the right TMJ treatment Atlanta, a person must be treated by a dentist who is specialized in this condition.

The temporomandibular joint is very useful as it is the part that enables the jaw to move for a person to be able to talk, yawn and eat. The real causative reason of this condition is not know but dentist speculate that the problem originates from the muscles and joint of the jaw. Some of the causative reasons include trauma to the area around this joint, pressure such as teeth clenching, stress and arthritis.

The condition presents with a number of symptom. The most common is pain or tenderness on the side of the face. A person with this condition always gets a feeling of tiredness on the face and they may be unable to chew food properly due to misalignment of the lower and upper jaw. At times the person may be unable to open their mouths wide and once in a while a person may get a locked jaw such that they cannot be able to close or open their mouth.

These symptoms present themselves differently in people. In some instances they may be significant causing the person to seek treatment while in most cases they are mild and they disappear without any medical intervention. Dentists diagnose this condition in their patients and they can refer the client to a person who is specialized in this condition in Atlanta.

Most facilities offer a number of treatment therapies and medication that help people with this condition. The non pharmaceutical treatments include use of bite guard or oral splints, physical therapies and counseling. The bite guard is inserted over the teeth and helps alleviate this condition. Physical therapy include use of heat and ice, exercises that strengthen the jaw muscle, use of technology such as ultrasound, joint vibration and transcutaneous neural stimulation. Counseling helps the person know and avoid the conditions that aggravates the condition.

Medications are also used to relieve the symptoms of the condition. The most commonly used drugs are analgesics to relieve pain, muscle relaxants to ease muscle tension and Tricyclic antidepressants for pain and mood elevation. Sedatives are used for patients who suffer from pain due to nighttime teeth clenching.

The other form of therapy involves invasive procedures such as injection of corticosteroids especially botulinum toxin. Athrocentesis is also done to remove inflammatory products and debris through insertion of a needle in the joint. Surgery is done in rare cases and it is highly discouraged not unless it cannot be avoided such as in the case of structural problems.

For a successful therapy, the patient should ensure that they go to a facility and specialist who has record of providing effective treatment. The best way to know about the result of a doctor is by contacting the patients he or she has worked with. Some facilities offer guarantee for the work they do. More importantly visit someone who can educate you on the various therapies that you can do at home such as use of ice packs to ensure that the symptoms goes away.




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