The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a sliding hinge-like joint that connects your jawbone to your skull. You have a temporomandibular joint on each side of the jaw — these joints allow you to control your jaw movements, speak, and chew. TMJ disorder leads to severe pain in the jaw joint, making it hard to speak or eat without discomfort. FG Aesthetics & Medicine offers TMJ treatment in Missoula, personalized neurotoxin treatments to relax the jaw muscles and alleviate pain.
What is TMJ Disorder?
Symptoms of TMJ Disorder:
- Jaw pain
- Jaw tenderness
- Pain in one or both TMJs
- Aching sensations around the ears
- Difficulty in chewing and speaking
- Facial pains that start at the jaw
- Difficulty in opening or closing the mouth
- Clicking sound when you open and close your mouth
- Grating sounds when you eat
What Causes TMJ Disorder?
The temporomandibular joint performs a hinge-like movement when it interacts with the skull, allowing you to open and close your mouth to perform various actions. The joint is covered with cartilage and discs that reduce friction and facilitate smooth joint movements. TMJ disorders may happen when the cartilage or disc is damaged, leading to increased friction during jaw movements. The jaw pain worsens when you clench or grind your teeth.
Neurotoxins: TMJ Treatment
Neurotoxins are one of the most effective TMJ treatment in Missoula. Neurotoxins are neuromodulators made of botulinum toxin, a protein derived from a special bacteria that can block communications between nerve endings and targeted muscles. When neurotoxins are injected into the targeted muscles responsible for your clenched jaws, the muscles relax and take the pressure off your jaws, thus alleviating jaw pain. Neurotoxins don’t treat the root cause of TMJ, but it’s an excellent means of alleviating jaw pain.
Benefits of Neurotoxins:
- Injectable treatment for TMJ disorders
- No incisions or scars
- Painless and comfortable treatment
- No harsh side effects or complications
- Allows you to move your jaws comfortably
- Concludes within 30 minutes
- No post-treatment downtime
- Results last for 3 to 4 months
The TMJ Treatment Process
Consultation
Your TMJ treatment in Missoula starts with a thorough evaluation with Francienne. She carefully examines your jaws, gauges the range of motion, reviews your health history, asks about your symptoms, and administers comprehensive tests to identify the muscles responsible for jaw pain. After a thorough evaluation, she curates a personalized TMJ treatment plan — she selects the appropriate units of neurotoxins and identifies the treatment areas.
Treatment
During your TMJ treatment, the medical provider cleanses your facial skin and applies a numbing gel to ensure a comfortable experience. The appropriate units of neurotoxins are carefully delivered into the inflamed or contracted jaw muscles — the number of injections depends on your specific condition and goals. The treatment concludes within 30 minutes.
Recovery
TMJ treatment with neurotoxins doesn’t involve harsh side effects or downtime. You may experience mild redness, swelling, tenderness, and bruising around the treatment areas for a few days. The side effects can be managed with over-the-counter medications. You can resume your daily activities and work immediately, but please avoid strenuous workouts for a day or two.
Your TMJ Treatment Results
The TMJ treatment in Missoula results will gradually start appearing within a few days. The pain in your jaw will start dissipating after 3 to 4 days, with continued improvements for 2 weeks. The final results last for 3 to 4 months, following which you need additional sessions.
Meet Francienne
Francienne is a board-certified family nurse practitioner and functional medicine provider. She specializes in curating personalized treatments to address the root cause of your conditions. Instead of offering a cookie-cutter treatment, she curates treatment plans that address your specific symptoms and goals. Please schedule an appointment to explore your TMJ treatment options in Missoula, Montana.
