Four myths of Tempromandibular Joint Disorders

Article By Dr. Ron Ritsco

May, 2007, Houston, Texas

Disorders of TMJ or Tempromandibular Joint (TMD), the joint that controls how your teeth come together, are frequently mystified and misunderstood in the medical community in large part due to the broad spectrum of symptoms that can manifest from this common disorder including headaches, muscle pain or spasms, ringing of the ears in addition to the more obvious painful popping and clicking in the joint. This is one of the most complex joints in the human body and it is estimated more than 10% of population have challenges severe enough to seek treatment however only half of those are seeking treatment in a dental office. Many years of treating patients with obvious and more subtle symptoms, some common misperceptions exist regarding TMD disorders.

MYTH #1 - "I have TMD disorder because I had orthodontics as a teenager." I have heard this frequently from patients who have been told that their condition is a result of braces. However, research does not show that TMJ/TMD is caused by orthodontics or even pre-disposes an individual to this condition. There may be several factors working together that actually trigger symptoms, including clenching or grinding your teeth, emotional stress, or a change in how one's teeth come together (dental term = occlusion).

MYTH #2 - "I have been told the only treatment is surgical intervention." Only a very small minority of cases is surgery the only treatment for TMJ/TMD pain. In fact the majority therapies to control symptoms and stop destruction in the joint range are very conservative and completely reversible.

Some of these include:

• Fabrication of a removable appliance
• Physical therapy coupled with medication
• Restorative treatment of teeth
• Thermotherapy
• Coolant Therapy
• Ultrasound
• Botox injections
• Acupuncture

To determine what therapies will work best requires an expert in diagnosis and experience with many cases of TMD/TMJ disorder. Prosthodontists, are dental specialists, specifically trained to treat disorders in the Tempromandibular joint.

MYTH #3 - "No one can find anything wrong, and my doctor says it's all in my head." It unfortunate that TMD/TMJ symptoms can be misdiagnosed and untreated for years due to a lack of knowledge on the part of a general physician to refer patients to seek treatment with a dental specialist. Due to the broad array of symptoms, getting resolution does require a process of elimination to determine what therapy will work and get results for a patient. If the patient lacks persistence, oftentimes they will choose not to pursue or be compliant with proposed treatment therapies. A dedication on the part of the treating dentist and the patient is required to see tangible results, however assuming your very real pain is simply psychosomatic without investigating the most common culprit, the TMJ, is careless.

MYTH #4 - "I have always had popping and clicking in my jaw joint and it doesn't hurt - so why seek treatment?" The old adage if it doesn't hurt, don't fix it may cause greater challenges in the future. While a patient may have no pain symptoms now, the sounds in the joint is one measurement in the dysfunction. A dental specialist who routinely treats TMD/TMJ disorders has the technology called Joint Vibration that can measure joint noise and interpret the level of potential destruction that would indicate whether or not preventative treatment or therapy should be a consideration.

By seeking a dental specialist in the treatment of Tempromandibular joints and disorders will give patients who are suffering much needed hope for the treatment of debilitating pain and prevent future crisis for generations of patients.

Dr. Ron Ritsco is a specialist in Prosthodontics with a private practice in Houston, Texas. To share his experiences and knowledge with others, he has published implant articles in national professional journals and has given presentations on a variety of dental topics including dental implants, veneers, crowns, TMD therapy and dentures. In his relentless effort to provide the best quality dental care to his patients, he continuously hones his skills by investing hundreds of hours in continuing dental educational courses focusing mainly on advanced restorative esthetic techniques.