Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Specialists in Dental Implants

Can oral surgery treat TMJ?

Posted on 2/7/2022 by Malmquist Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is an oral, almost like a sliding joint on each side of the jaw that connects it to the skull. TMJ disorder is a condition that causes pain in the jaw joint, making it hard to control muscle movement of the jaw, for example, in speech, biting, chewing and swallowing. This pain might be a result of genetics, jaw trauma or arthritis. The pain is temporary and self-manageable in most cases using non-invasive treatment procedures. Oral surgery, in some cases, may be used to treat TMJ disorders. In some cases, when all non-surgical measures have failed, the dentist can resolve to surgery or in case of fracture.

Oral surgeons are highly trained and qualified dental specialists with immense training in diagnosing and treating temporomandibular joint disorders. These professionals check for disease symptoms, recommend the treatment required, and perform the actual surgery.

Who treats TMJ disorder

For mild cases of pain and discomfort, a general dentist could help a patient relieve pain and discomfort through pain prescriptions, steroid injections, muscle relaxation, therapy and oral splints as the pain is sometimes temporary. However, in case of surgery, an oral surgeon must operate. Operations like; arthroscopy, a less invasive procedure where an incision is made to remove inflamed tissue, inject steroids or check for the extent of damage is conducted.

Another operation administered is arthroplasty, an open joint surgery where the entire jaw is exposed, and the surgeon replaces or repairs the joint disc. Total joint replacement surgery is administered in cases where the entire joint has deteriorated beyond repair, for example, due to trauma or osteoarthritis. This involves extracting the damaged tissue and replacing it with medical disc imitations. It also involves realigning and removal of debris and scar tissue.

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Malmquist Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 1750 SW Harbor Way, Suite # 100, Portland, OR. 97201 | (503) 446-6776 | dentalimplantsinportland.com | 6/3/2023 | Tags: oral surgeon Portland |