Additional Care
TMJ Treatment
Jaw pain that gets passed between dentists and doctors — examined properly here.
What it is
The jaw joint is the most used joint in the body and the one least often examined. Pain, clicking, locking and headaches around the temple are all common and all worth investigating.
We examine the joint itself, the muscles that move it, your bite and the wear pattern on your teeth, and take a history of when the pain is worst. Clenching under stress, an uneven bite, a habit of chewing on one side and disturbed sleep all contribute, and untangling which applies to you is most of the work.
Management is usually conservative and staged: a properly made splint, targeted exercises, heat, and advice on the habits that are loading the joint. Most cases settle without anything irreversible, and we will not adjust or crown teeth in pursuit of a bite change unless there is a clear reason to.
Included
What this
involves
Everything below is carried out here, by the clinician who planned it. Anything not on this list is either not needed or will be discussed with you before it is booked.
- Joint, muscle and bite examination
- Wear pattern and habit assessment
- Custom stabilisation splints
- Jaw exercises and self-management
- Sleep and clenching review
- Referral where imaging is needed
If you have been putting this off for years, you are exactly who we built this practice for.
Common questions
Good To Know
- My jaw clicks but does not hurt. Is that a problem?
- Often not. A painless click that does not lock the jaw is common and frequently needs nothing more than monitoring.
- Will I need my bite adjusted?
- Rarely, and never as a first step. Irreversible changes to teeth are the last resort, not the opening move.
- Could my headaches be related?
- They can be — headaches around the temples that are worst on waking often relate to night-time clenching. It is worth examining before assuming otherwise.
More in this area
Additional Care
Considering tmj treatment?
Come in for a consultation. We will examine, explain and give you a written plan with a price against every item — then you decide, in your own time.