Treating TMJ Jaw Pain-Without Surgery

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Greenberg Orthodontics & TMJ

There is nothing quite so debilitating as chronic pain, and TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint) and Jaw Pain can be detrimental to your health and well-being. When it hurts to chew, or speak, or even swallow, the pain can be depressing and debilitating.

It’s difficult to say exactly how many people experience TMJ pain, but some have estimated that up to 10 Million Americans suffer from this condition. It seems that more women than men experience TMJ pain.

Dr. Vicki Greenberg effectively treats TMJ jaw pain using non-surgical and non-invasive techniques. If you’re suffering from TMJ or pain in your jaw, read on to learn more about treatment for yourself or a loved one.

What Causes TMJ Jaw Pain?

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) acts like a sliding hinge, connecting your jawbone to your skull. There is a joint on each side of your jaw. Disorders in the TMJ cause pain and discomfort in the muscles and tissues surrounding that joint. This is what people are referring to when they complain of TMJ.

Several factors can contribute to TMJ pain. Injuries to your teeth or jaw are the most obvious causes of TMJ pain.

Often TMJ is caused by subtler factors, such as grinding your teeth. Misaligned teeth can contribute to TMJ, and so can excessive gum-chewing, poor posture, stress, and arthritis.

Regardless of the cause, TMJ pain can become debilitating and unbearable. There are options for treating TMJ that don’t include invasive surgery.

Complications of Surgery for TMJ and Jaw Pain

Surgery of any kind is a risk, with the potential for complications and further damage to your body becoming more extreme depending on the nature of the surgery. Dr. Greenberg prefers to avoid surgery whenever possible.

Internal bleeding of the maxillary artery may be a concern with TMJ surgery. Diligent monitoring of the neurovascular system during surgery doesn’t always guarantee that complications won’t arise. In severe and complicated cases, the TMJ nerve may become permanently damaged as the result of surgery.

Although infection is the rarest complication of TMJ surgery, it is undoubtedly the most dangerous. Infections occur in a mere 2% of these types of surgeries, but the repercussions can be lethal for a patient.

Non-Surgical Treatment for TMJ and Jaw Pain

Dr. Greenberg has evaluated many patients for jaw pain, and has had great success with gentle and conservative treatments. She firmly believes in treating the “whole patient”, and not just the specific problem. For many people surgery should be avoided. Dr. Greenberg never turns to surgery as a first resort, and attempts to treat many ailments non-invasively.

Dr. Greenberg uses advanced technologies for all of her procedures, and she has had great success using the Fotona Laser to treat pain in TMJ cases.

Dr. Greenberg is adept at creating non-invasive orthodontic devices to treat structural causes of TMJ pain.

If you or a loved one is suffering from jaw pain or TMJ, and are trying to avoid surgery or other invasive treatment options, give our office a call today. Dr. Vickie Greenberg is compassionate, genuinely cares about her patients and their lifestyles, and will use her 25 successful years of experience to get you out of pain, and into a long-lasting and healthy smile! Call today at (626) 798-7645, and start living free of pain!