Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAt-Home TreatmentsOTC TreatmentsPrescriptionsPhysical TherapyDental TreatmentsProceduresCAM TherapiesNext in TMJ Disorder (TMD) GuideTemporomandibular joint (TMJ) Surgery
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
At-Home Treatments
OTC Treatments
Prescriptions
Physical Therapy
Dental Treatments
Procedures
CAM Therapies
Next in TMJ Disorder (TMD) Guide
TMJ is often a short-term problem that lasts no longer than three weeks. First-line treatments include over-the-counter drugs and lifestyle changes. Stronger drugs and special treatments are often reserved for longer, more severe cases.
This article describes treatment for TMJ, including home remedies and lifestyle changes. lt also describes TMJ treatments using drugs, surgery, special treatments, and alternate treatments.
Treatments for TMJ At Home
Many cases of TMJ pain can be reduced with the following home remedies and lifestyle changes:
Reduce bad habits:Some habits can increase your risk of developing TMJ pain. If you’re routinely doing any of the following habits, work to correct your actions:
Jaw exercises:Jaw exercisesare considered among the first-line treatments for TMJ disorders. The following types of jaw exercises may help relieve symptoms:
8 Things That Make TMJ Worse
Over-the-Counter (OTC) Treatments for TMJ
OTC therapies are the first-line treatment for most cases of TMJ pain.One of the most popular OTC medications for TMJ is Tylenol (acetaminophen), which temporarily reduces jaw pain.
The following OTC NSAIDs are advised for treating TMJ:
Prescriptions for TMJ
Several classes of prescription drugs are used to treat TMJ pain. These drugs include the following:
Prescription NSAIDs:Prescription NSAIDs provide similar pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory benefits as OTC NSAIDs, though in stronger formulations. These drugs include:
Antidepressants:Antidepressants influence how your body interprets pain. The following antidepressants can be prescribed for chronic TMJ pain:
Anticonvulsants:Anticonvulsants often treat nerve pain in chronic pain disorders like TMJ. The following anticonvulsants are used to treat TMJ:
Physical Therapy for TMJ
Depending on the cause of your TMJ pain, you may benefit from physical therapy.
Physical therapycan often help decrease pain and restore normal jaw function. A physical therapist designs an individualized treatment plan for your condition and its causes. This usually includes the following components:
Other types of physical therapy treatment for TMJ include:
Dental Treatments for TMJ
If you see a dentist to help treat your TMJ, you may be fitted for an oral splint.
An oral splint is a removable dental appliance that covers several or all of your upper or lower teeth. The splint is manufactured in a dental lab from an impression of your mouth. It is made of hard acrylic resin and individualized for your needs.
There are many different types of splints. They vary in their purpose and the portion of your mouth they cover. An oral splint can do the following:
Procedures and Surgeries for TMJ
The following procedures and surgeries may be used to treat TMJ:
TMJ joint injection:A TMJ joint injection is the administration of an injection into the affected TMJ. A TMJ joint injection is offered after self-treatment or conservative treatments fail to produce improvement. The effect of the joint injection can temporarily improve mouth-opening capacity so you can perform jaw exercises without pain. The contents of the injection can include the following, based on your needs:
Open-joint surgery (arthrotomy):Open-joint surgery involves making an incision along your ear to expose the TMJ joint. It can involve one or both of the following options:
Joint replacement:TMJ joint replacement is commonly called total temporomandibular joint replacement (TMJR). It is used to treat a severe TMJ disorder causing severe pain or limited jaw function that has not responded to other types of treatment. TMJ joint replacement involves the surgical placement of implants for all or part of the TMJ.
Tight Jaw Muscles: Causes and Treatment
Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) for TMJ
CAM treatments for TMJ pain can be used in conjunction with conventional medical and dental approaches to reduce pain and stress. They can also be valuable options when certain treatments are contraindicated for your condition.
CAM treatments used for TMJ include the following:
Acupuncture:Acupunctureis part of the healing system used in traditional Chinese medicine. It involves the insertion of hair-thin needles at specific points in the skin. Stimulating these points triggers reactions from certain tissues, glands, and bodily functions that coordinate with the locations.
Stress management:Stress management techniques can help you control your stress, which may trigger jaw clenching and TMJ symptoms. These techniques can include the following:
Red-light therapy:Red-light therapyuses light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to send low-intensity infrared and near-infrared light deep into your body’s cells. It is a form of photodynamic therapy that promotes healing. Red light therapy can increase the range of motion for your TMJ, relieve pain, and improve muscle activity.
Summary
There is a range of options for treating TMJ (temporomandibular joint) dysfunction. There are multiple factors to consider when deciding on a treatment course.
Most cases of TMJ are short-term and often resolve on their own or with at-home treatments like hot and cold packs, over-the-counter medications, diet and lifestyle changes.
For more severe or unresolved TMJ, treatments like prescription medication, dental appliances, and physical therapy may be warranted. Surgical interventions are an option but are rarely needed for TMJ.
13 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Penn Medicine.TMJ pain relief: 8 best practices to help manage temporomandibular joint disorders.The TMJ Association.Other treatments.Michigan Medicine University of Michigan.Soft diet recommendations for patients with jaw pain.Gauer RL, Semidey MJ.Diagnosis and treatment of temporomandibular disorder.afp. 2015;91(6):378-386.Practical Pain Management.Medication for TMJ disorders.Crofford LJ.Use of NSAIDs in treating patients with arthritis.Arthritis Res Ther.2013;15 Suppl 3:S2. doi:10.1186/ar4174The TMJ Association, Ltd.Medications.American Physical Therapy Association.Physical therapy guide to temporomandibular joint disorder.Ba S, Zhou P, Yu M.Ultrasound is effective to treat temporomandibular joint disorder.J Pain Res. 2021;14:1667-1673. doi:10.2147/JPR.S314342National Institute of Dental and Cranofacial Research.TMD (Temporomandibular disorders).The TMJ Association, Ltd.Splints.Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC.TMJ injection treatments: Lidocaine, steroids, hyaluronate & botox.Sousa DFM de, Gonçalves MLL, Politti F, et al.Photobiomodulation with simultaneous use of red and infrared light emitting diodes in the treatment of temporomandibular disorder: study protocol for a randomized, controlled and double-blind clinical trial.Medicine. 2019;98(6):e14391. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000014391
13 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Penn Medicine.TMJ pain relief: 8 best practices to help manage temporomandibular joint disorders.The TMJ Association.Other treatments.Michigan Medicine University of Michigan.Soft diet recommendations for patients with jaw pain.Gauer RL, Semidey MJ.Diagnosis and treatment of temporomandibular disorder.afp. 2015;91(6):378-386.Practical Pain Management.Medication for TMJ disorders.Crofford LJ.Use of NSAIDs in treating patients with arthritis.Arthritis Res Ther.2013;15 Suppl 3:S2. doi:10.1186/ar4174The TMJ Association, Ltd.Medications.American Physical Therapy Association.Physical therapy guide to temporomandibular joint disorder.Ba S, Zhou P, Yu M.Ultrasound is effective to treat temporomandibular joint disorder.J Pain Res. 2021;14:1667-1673. doi:10.2147/JPR.S314342National Institute of Dental and Cranofacial Research.TMD (Temporomandibular disorders).The TMJ Association, Ltd.Splints.Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC.TMJ injection treatments: Lidocaine, steroids, hyaluronate & botox.Sousa DFM de, Gonçalves MLL, Politti F, et al.Photobiomodulation with simultaneous use of red and infrared light emitting diodes in the treatment of temporomandibular disorder: study protocol for a randomized, controlled and double-blind clinical trial.Medicine. 2019;98(6):e14391. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000014391
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Penn Medicine.TMJ pain relief: 8 best practices to help manage temporomandibular joint disorders.The TMJ Association.Other treatments.Michigan Medicine University of Michigan.Soft diet recommendations for patients with jaw pain.Gauer RL, Semidey MJ.Diagnosis and treatment of temporomandibular disorder.afp. 2015;91(6):378-386.Practical Pain Management.Medication for TMJ disorders.Crofford LJ.Use of NSAIDs in treating patients with arthritis.Arthritis Res Ther.2013;15 Suppl 3:S2. doi:10.1186/ar4174The TMJ Association, Ltd.Medications.American Physical Therapy Association.Physical therapy guide to temporomandibular joint disorder.Ba S, Zhou P, Yu M.Ultrasound is effective to treat temporomandibular joint disorder.J Pain Res. 2021;14:1667-1673. doi:10.2147/JPR.S314342National Institute of Dental and Cranofacial Research.TMD (Temporomandibular disorders).The TMJ Association, Ltd.Splints.Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC.TMJ injection treatments: Lidocaine, steroids, hyaluronate & botox.Sousa DFM de, Gonçalves MLL, Politti F, et al.Photobiomodulation with simultaneous use of red and infrared light emitting diodes in the treatment of temporomandibular disorder: study protocol for a randomized, controlled and double-blind clinical trial.Medicine. 2019;98(6):e14391. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000014391
Penn Medicine.TMJ pain relief: 8 best practices to help manage temporomandibular joint disorders.
The TMJ Association.Other treatments.
Michigan Medicine University of Michigan.Soft diet recommendations for patients with jaw pain.
Gauer RL, Semidey MJ.Diagnosis and treatment of temporomandibular disorder.afp. 2015;91(6):378-386.
Practical Pain Management.Medication for TMJ disorders.
Crofford LJ.Use of NSAIDs in treating patients with arthritis.Arthritis Res Ther.2013;15 Suppl 3:S2. doi:10.1186/ar4174
The TMJ Association, Ltd.Medications.
American Physical Therapy Association.Physical therapy guide to temporomandibular joint disorder.
Ba S, Zhou P, Yu M.Ultrasound is effective to treat temporomandibular joint disorder.J Pain Res. 2021;14:1667-1673. doi:10.2147/JPR.S314342
National Institute of Dental and Cranofacial Research.TMD (Temporomandibular disorders).
The TMJ Association, Ltd.Splints.
Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC.TMJ injection treatments: Lidocaine, steroids, hyaluronate & botox.
Sousa DFM de, Gonçalves MLL, Politti F, et al.Photobiomodulation with simultaneous use of red and infrared light emitting diodes in the treatment of temporomandibular disorder: study protocol for a randomized, controlled and double-blind clinical trial.Medicine. 2019;98(6):e14391. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000014391
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