“How do you relax your jaw with TMJ?”
I am a 43 year old male with TMJ. I want to know how do you relax your jaw with TMJ?
8 Answers
Use an occlusal splint. Physical therapy can also be helpful.
Moist heat, muscle massage, meditation, biofeedback. Sometimes muscle relaxants are used. Botox is sometimes injected into the tight muscles.
First try a soft diet, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, warm compresses and a mouth guard. If that does not help, consider seeing a maxillofacial surgeon for Botox injections or a custom occlusal splint. If you still have issues after continuously adhering to the above recommendations, you may need occlusal adjustments and/or TMJ surgery.
Don't chew gum.
Do not eat anything hard or chewy like chewing gum, cut food into small pieces, do not open your mouth wide like when you yawn, use a hand to support your chin. Apply moist warm towel to the side of the join which is in pain. Do not open your mouth for a long period, tell you dentist that you have this problem so he/she can let you rest every so often to prevent stressing your jaw. Avoid stress.
Hello,
Sorry to hear about your TMJ problems (known as temporomandibular disorders, or TMD). The best thing to do is to find out what is causing your TMD. Are you in pain? Does your law lock up? Or do you feel the muscles around your jaw are spasming? This is important because if your jaw tends to lock up on you, it is not normally because of the muscles or because it needs to be relaxed. It is usually because the parts of your TMJ get rearranged in a manner that does not allow your jaw to open or close. It is not until these parts get put back in their correct order that your jaw will then open or close. However, In order to relax your jaw, you have to relax the muscles that you chew with. There are a few of them, so you would have to find out which muscle is having a spasm and try to massage it to relax it.
Hope this helps.
My best to you!
William F. Scott IV, DMD
Sorry to hear about your TMJ problems (known as temporomandibular disorders, or TMD). The best thing to do is to find out what is causing your TMD. Are you in pain? Does your law lock up? Or do you feel the muscles around your jaw are spasming? This is important because if your jaw tends to lock up on you, it is not normally because of the muscles or because it needs to be relaxed. It is usually because the parts of your TMJ get rearranged in a manner that does not allow your jaw to open or close. It is not until these parts get put back in their correct order that your jaw will then open or close. However, In order to relax your jaw, you have to relax the muscles that you chew with. There are a few of them, so you would have to find out which muscle is having a spasm and try to massage it to relax it.
Hope this helps.
My best to you!
William F. Scott IV, DMD
Some oral devices can reduce TMD.
ARE YOU BEING TREATED FOR TMJ? THERE ARE SOME THINGS YOU CAN DO TO HELP YOURSELF:
1. DO NOT EAT LARGE SANDWICHES. OPENING YOUR MOUTH TO EAT HOAGIES, CLUB SANDWICHES.
2. DON'T BITE HARD CANDIES, NUTS, ICE.
3. USE WARM WET WASH CLOTHS ON BOTH SIDES OF YOUR FACE.
4. BEFORE YOU GO TO SLEEP, SAY OUTLOUD 3 TIMES, IF I FLOSS MY TEETH, I SHALL AWAKEN. IT WORKS.
IF YOU WERE GIVEN A NIGHT GUARD, WEAR IT. IF THE NIGHT GUARD DOESN'T WORK YOUR PRIMARY PROBLEM IS NOT TMJ.
YOU MAY BE BITING DOWN TO STOP YOUR PAIN, THE NIGHT GUARD WILL HELP YOU.
YOU HAVE PAIN , BUT YOUR PROBLEM MAY BE MORE COMPLICATED..
1. DO NOT EAT LARGE SANDWICHES. OPENING YOUR MOUTH TO EAT HOAGIES, CLUB SANDWICHES.
2. DON'T BITE HARD CANDIES, NUTS, ICE.
3. USE WARM WET WASH CLOTHS ON BOTH SIDES OF YOUR FACE.
4. BEFORE YOU GO TO SLEEP, SAY OUTLOUD 3 TIMES, IF I FLOSS MY TEETH, I SHALL AWAKEN. IT WORKS.
IF YOU WERE GIVEN A NIGHT GUARD, WEAR IT. IF THE NIGHT GUARD DOESN'T WORK YOUR PRIMARY PROBLEM IS NOT TMJ.
YOU MAY BE BITING DOWN TO STOP YOUR PAIN, THE NIGHT GUARD WILL HELP YOU.
YOU HAVE PAIN , BUT YOUR PROBLEM MAY BE MORE COMPLICATED..
