TMJ/TMD Treatment

If you wake up with a sore jaw, get headaches that start near your temples, or hear a clicking sound every time you open your mouth wide, you may be dealing with a TMJ disorder. The temporomandibular joint — the hinge that connects your jawbone to your skull — is one of the most complex joints in your body, and when something goes wrong with it, you feel it in ways you might not expect.

TMJ disorders, sometimes called TMD, can show up as jaw pain, facial soreness, earaches that have nothing to do with your ears, headaches that feel like tension headaches, difficulty opening your mouth all the way, or a jaw that locks in one position. A lot of people live with these symptoms for years without realizing their dentist can help — but Dr. Maharaj can.

Your first step is a thorough evaluation. Dr. Maharaj will listen to your symptoms, examine your jaw movement, check for tenderness in the muscles around the joint, and take any imaging needed to see what is happening inside. You will hear what he finds in plain English — what the joint is doing, why it is causing your symptoms, and what your options look like.

Treatment for TMJ disorders is usually conservative and starts with the simplest approach that is likely to help. For many patients in Bedford, that means a custom-fitted oral appliance — a comfortable guard you wear at night that takes the pressure off the joint, stops you from clenching or grinding while you sleep, and gives the muscles a chance to relax. The relief can be significant, and some patients feel it within the first week.

Other treatment options may include jaw exercises to strengthen and stretch the muscles, lifestyle modifications like stress management and diet changes, and in some cases coordination with other healthcare providers if the issue is more complex. The goal is always the same: get you out of pain, protect your teeth from the damage that grinding and clenching cause, and help your jaw function the way it should.