Many of our patients at TMJ Plus Wellness want to know when they can expect to find relief for their pain. Do they need one appointment with us? Two or three? If they get an oral appliance and use it daily, does that mean they’re cured? Unfortunately, there are no cut-and-dry answers when it comes to TMJ disorder. When people ask us, “How long does it take for TMJ to go away?”, the best answer we can offer is, “It depends.”
Understanding TMJ Disorder
TMJ disorder occurs when the temporomandibular joints (TMJ) or the muscles surrounding them are not functioning as they should, causing pain. You have a TMJ on each side of your jaw to connect it to your skull; these joints act as sliding hinges whenever you open and close your mouth. Because these joints are used so frequently, TMJ disorder (TMD) can make it painful to eat, drink, and speak. It can also cause you to have symptoms elsewhere in the body, including headaches, neck pain, upper back pain, dizziness, tinnitus ( ear ringing), and dental issues.
What makes TMD difficult to treat is the fact that it has so many potential causes. There is no cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all treatment for TMD because your treatment will depend on the underlying cause of your symptoms, along with your overall health and lifestyle.
When Will My TMJ Get Better?
Because there are many causes for TMJ disorder, it can also vary a great deal in how long it lasts. TMJ pain might come and go, it might last for two weeks and never come back, or you may suffer with TMJ for a lifetime—although we’ll see to it that you find relief when you’re a patient at TMJ Plus Wellness! During the COVID-19 pandemic, cases of TMD went up due to the collective stress we’re all experiencing, which is causing many of us to clench our jaws in our sleep; once we return to a more normal state of being, we can expect that many of these patients will no longer have TMD.
If your TMJ pain started after an injury, it’s likely that as your injury heals, your pain will also go away. On the other hand, if your TMJ is caused by dysfunction in the jaw—an improper bite, for example—then you won’t find relief until this dysfunction is addressed.
It’s important to understand that treating TMD is a process—it’s the proverbial marathon, not a sprint. When you come to our office, we’ll help you find solutions to alleviate your immediate symptoms, but treating the underlying cause of your TMD may take some time. It could involve an oral sleep appliance, tmj appliance, airway and tongue tie evaluation, or you might require TMJ orthodontics or bite rehabilitation.
Learn More About TMD Treatment Near Dallas, TX
Have you been diagnosed with TMJ disorder? Has it been difficult to find a practitioner who takes your symptoms seriously? TMJ Plus Wellness Center can help. Contact us today at 817-481-6888 to schedule an appointment for a consultation.