Even though the TMJ (Temporomandibular joint) disorder affects so many people there really is no such thing as a TMJ specialist in the sense that there are specialists in other fields. There are many doctors that can treat your TMJ disorder that could be considered a TMJ specialist but for it to be treated right you may need more than one doctor.
The reason for this is there are so many different types of treatment plans and each person is different and the treatment plan for each person needs to be designed around understanding the root cause of the disorder and treating that root cause plus the specific symptoms the TMJ patient is experiencing.
To help you get an idea of the different professions that are currently treating patients for their TMJ disorder check out this list:
1. Physicians
2. Radiologists
3. Prosthodontists
4. Kinesiologists
5. Biofeedback specialists
6. Craniofacial pain specialists
7. Osteopaths
8. Orthodontists
9. Neurologists
10. Maxillofacial surgeons
11. Oral surgeons
12. ENT surgeons (otolaryngologists)
13. Acupuncturists
14. Physical Therapists
15. Psychiatrists
16. Psychologists
17. Counselors
18. Dentists
The length of this list may be surprising to some people but not when you consider there are literally dozens of symptoms caused by the TMJ disorder and also dozens of different treatment plans used to treat TMJ.
Some of the treatments used by a TMJ specialist may be facial exercises, surgery, night guards, occlusal equilibration, occlusal restoration, and splints. A TMJ specialist may also use injections, heating pads, cold packs, drugs, and psychiatric treatments.
Facial exercises are designed to do the same thing as any other physical therapy.
They are also what should be the first thing you try since they can be used to completely cure your TMJ and most of the time a TMJ specialist can help you with a treatment plan that is designed for you specifically.
Splints are much the same as braces except they are not designed to move the teeth. Instead they are designed to keep the teeth slightly apart and meeting correctly and to relieve pressure on the TMJ.
Sometimes a TMJ specialist will advise you to wear a night guard. If your problem is that you have a severe overbite or underbite this may help you but only if you can find one that's perfect for your problem and your dentist can make adjustments as your healing process moves along.
Occlusal restoration and equilibration is all about adjusting how the teeth meet in your mouth. When teeth do not meet the way they are supposed to it causes stress on the TMJ. Equilibration involves grinding some of your teeth to improve how they come together and restoration aims for the same result using things like fillings, inlays, crowns, bridges and other dental work.
Since the most common cause of the TMJ disorder is grinding or clenching of the teeth in your sleep induced by tension or stress you also need to work on the root cause of the TMJ disorder and that's where counselors and psychologists come in.
If you are having jaw pains or have been diagnosed with TMJ you should make sure to find someone who has treated the TMJ disorder successfully to be your TMJ specialist.
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