You should not have to live with chronic jaw pain—and your daily life should not be affected by how your jaw feels or functions.
Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome, more commonly referred to as TMJ, occurs when a person experiences pain in the jaw joint. There are a multitude of medical issues that can cause this pain, from poor posture to clenching and grinding, to misalignment of the jaw.
Untreated, TMJ pain can be not only debilitating but degenerative as well. If you’ve been experiencing ongoing and chronic jaw pain, tightness, headaches, ear pain, or clicking or popping in the jaw joint, you could be experiencing TMJ.
An estimated 10 million people across the country suffer from TMJ, a majority of them women. Many don’t seek treatment, or even know that there is hope for relief.
Symptoms of TMJ include:
Common causes of TMJ
Note that some people may have multiple causes of their TMJ, such as stress and a misaligned jaw.
We specialize in the treatment of patients suffering from TMJ disorders. Our absolute first step when seeing these patients is to review their medical history, examine their jaw area, and learn about their TMJ issues. Determining the cause or causes of their jaw joint pain is absolutely imperative to relieving the pain and curing the patient.
Diagnosing TMJ may involve the following:
TMJ pain will not be successful unless the root cause of your disorder is understood. For example, if your jaw pain is caused by arthritis, the treatment is very different from if your jaw pain is caused by stress.
It’s also important to note that many sufferers of a TMJ disorder may experience pain for multiple reasons. For example, a patient may have a misaligned bite and also grind their teeth. Another patient may have past jaw trauma as well as stress and anxiety that is making the issue worse.
Although Gallatin Valley Surgical Arts treat some TMJ disorders with jaw surgery, we believe that operating should only be considered after other options are exhausted and only in certain cases.
Treatment of TMJ can be broken into four categories:
To learn more about the cause of your TMJ pain as well as your treatment options, please call and schedule a consultation today.
Know that your jaw pain can likely be treated, minimized, relieved, or completely healed with the help of experienced doctors and a comprehensive treatment plan. Find out more about the cause of your TMJ as well as the best ways to approach fixing the issue. Take the first step by contacting us today to schedule an initial consultation.
Surgical precision. Exceptional results. Clear answers to your questions.
You can schedule an appointment by calling our office during business hours or using the secure online booking system on our website. Once submitted, our scheduling team will review and confirm your appointment.
We accept most major insurance plans. Our team can verify your coverage before your appointment and help explain any out-of-pocket costs. Please contact us with your insurance details for confirmation.
Yes. For certain consultations and follow-up visits, we provide telemedicine appointments. This allows you to meet with our providers securely from your home. Our staff will guide you through the setup process.
Please bring your photo ID, insurance card, a list of current medications, and any relevant medical records or test results. If applicable, bring a referral from your primary care provider.
Yes. Prescription refill requests can be submitted through our patient portal or by calling our office. Refills are subject to provider approval and may require a follow-up appointment.
We follow strict safety protocols, including enhanced cleaning, mask policies, screening for symptoms, and social distancing in waiting areas. Only necessary caregivers or companions may accompany patients.
