TMJ Dysfunction
Patient presents with discomfort and pain in the jaw in front of the ear, especially when eating
Examination:
tendernesss to palpation over the TMJ on the left side
Management:
Advised to:
- When eating, avoid opening your mouth wider than the thickness of your thumb and cut all food into smallpieces
- Do not bite any food with your front teeth—use small bite-size pieces
- Avoid eating food requiring prolonged chewing such as hard crusts of bread, tough meat, raw vegetables
- Avoid chewing gum
- Always try to open your jaw in a hinge or arc motion
- Do not protrude your jaw
- Avoid clenching your teeth together—keep your lips together and your teeth apart.
- Try to breathe through your nose at all times.
- Do not sleep on your jaw—try to sleep on your back.
- Practice a relaxed lifestyle so that your jaws and face muscles feel relaxed.
For a nagging problem
Once the acute phase has settled, it is best to strengthen the muscles and joints by performing a set of exercises. They are uncomfortable at first, but the problem usually starts to settle after about 2 weeks.
‘Chewing the wood’ exercise
Obtain a rod of soft wood about 15 cm long and 1.5 cm wide. An ideal object is a large carpenter’s pencil.
Position this at the back of the mouth so that the molars (back teeth) grasp the object with the jaw thrust forward.
Rhythmically bite on the object with a clenching movement for 2 to 3 minutes. Do this at least 3 times a day.
Keywords: TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT DYSFUNCTION, +TMJ
Examination:
tendernesss to palpation over the TMJ on the left side
Management:
Advised to:
- When eating, avoid opening your mouth wider than the thickness of your thumb and cut all food into smallpieces
- Do not bite any food with your front teeth—use small bite-size pieces
- Avoid eating food requiring prolonged chewing such as hard crusts of bread, tough meat, raw vegetables
- Avoid chewing gum
- Always try to open your jaw in a hinge or arc motion
- Do not protrude your jaw
- Avoid clenching your teeth together—keep your lips together and your teeth apart.
- Try to breathe through your nose at all times.
- Do not sleep on your jaw—try to sleep on your back.
- Practice a relaxed lifestyle so that your jaws and face muscles feel relaxed.
For a nagging problem
Once the acute phase has settled, it is best to strengthen the muscles and joints by performing a set of exercises. They are uncomfortable at first, but the problem usually starts to settle after about 2 weeks.
‘Chewing the wood’ exercise
Obtain a rod of soft wood about 15 cm long and 1.5 cm wide. An ideal object is a large carpenter’s pencil.
Position this at the back of the mouth so that the molars (back teeth) grasp the object with the jaw thrust forward.
Rhythmically bite on the object with a clenching movement for 2 to 3 minutes. Do this at least 3 times a day.
Keywords: TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT DYSFUNCTION, +TMJ
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