23 June 2023

Can TMD Go Away On its Own? 

In some cases, Symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD) can go away on their own after some weeks even without treatment. However, persistent pain or discomfort can significantly affect your life. In this case, it’s important to consult a dentist to better manage the symptoms or know for sure if it requires treatment.

How could TMD symptoms be relieved?

The pain or discomfort can go away after some weeks. But to somehow reduce the discomfort and relieve the symptoms, you can do the following:

  • Eating soft food
  • Avoiding chewing gum
  • Cutting all food into small pieces
  • Avoiding clenching your jaw
  • Avoiding opening your mouth wide
  • Carrying out jaw-strengthening exercises
  • Applying relaxation techniques to relieve stress
  • Wearing a mouthguard while you sleep to prevent jaw clenching or teeth grinding

The dentist might prescribe you medications for pain relief and reducing inflammation. The goal is to minimise the effect of temporomandibular joint disorder on your daily life. This way, you can stay productive, better enjoy your meal or regularly get a good night’s sleep.

Do muscle relaxants injections help with TMD?

If the main cause of TMD is teeth grinding or bruxism, the dentist might inject muscle relaxants in the masseter muscle which is responsible for lower jaw elevation. These can reduce the activity of the muscles responsible for bruxism. These can help relieve the pain dramatically and other symptoms of TMD.

At what point does TMD require surgery?

In rare cases, dentists may recommend surgery if:

  • Pain is getting worse even with the treatment and self-care mentioned above
  • Pain is intense, consistent, and impossible to tolerate when you close or open your mouth
  • It’s extremely difficult to eat or drink because of the pain or immobility of your jaw
  • There are other issues with your jaw joint (will be confirmed through MRI and other imaging techniques)

If the pain is just mild or occasionally comes and goes, most likely this won’t need surgery or other invasive forms of treatment. Through proper self-care and guidance from a skilled dentist, the pain and discomfort will eventually go away.

If you require personalised guidance and advice about your TMD symptoms, you can book an appointment here at Rose Dental.

We’ll answer your questions and come up with a personalised treatment plan for you, including low level laser treatment to reduce TMD pain or muscle relaxant injections.