How is the Temporomandibular Joint Treated?
Treatment should not be delayed once there has been a diagnosis of temporomandibular joint injury. The treatment plan may include construction of an orthopaedic repositioning appliance (bite splint), moist heat therapy, trigger point injections, nutritional counseling, myofunctional therapy, occlusal equilibration and other physiotherapeutic and pharmacological modalities. The treatment is directed towards orthopaedic realignment of the mandible to the skull, stabilization of the right and left temporomandibular joints and restoring them to their normal physiological function. Treatment of injuries in the conservative phase takes between four to nine months. If conservative treatment is not successful surgical intervention would be initiated. This could include new arthroscopic evaluation and treatment, traditional open surgery or radiofrequency thermoneurolysis. Once the patient is pain-free and functioning normally, restorative phase of treatement would begin. This allows the patient
