TMJ is often a painful and debilitating condition that can also affect individuals facial features. Sadly, too many times patients think orthognathic jaw surgery or plastic surgery is there only choice.
What Options Do I Have If I have TMJ pain and/or a bad overbite?
The first line of treatment is to find out what is the cause of the TMJ pain and treat this in a manner that the patient heals and feels better before any long term treatment is started. TMJ treatment often involves repositioning the jaw non-surgically to the correct physiologic position with respect the the head, neck, and jaw muscles. There are high tech methods to assist with finding these corrected positions. This includes using computerized systems as well as a “fixed orthotic” to allow patients to test drive there corrected bite and neck posture.
Once this is found and the patients are comfortable, the non-surgical options can be considered. Two of these are:
- Anterior Guided Growth Appliances (AGGA) and Controllead Arch Orthodonitcs
- Using conservative methods to build the bite with porcelain reconstruction
The photo below shows the facial changes possible with TMJ treatment and AGGA:
In both of these cases, there TMJ pain has been eliminated and their overbites corrected non-surgically. Note the beautiful changes in facial aesthetics! Note only is the lip profile and midface greatly improved, but so is the airway. There is much talk about airway today and the use of CPAPs and sleep apnea appliances, but most times the true cause is overlooked and can be treated or improved.
The second option is using porcelain veneers and/or crowns to build the bite back to the corrected bite that the patient knows they are comfortable at and functionally and aesthetically. This can be done very conservatively in most cases without grinding down the teeth. Many times it involves building the teeth up as opposed to grinding them down. This is really a non-surgical facelift with dental procedures as even plastic surgeons cannot change the lower one third of the face.
The photos below shows the improved facial proportions and proper function as well:
It is important to understand your non-surgical jaw treatment options which can be life changing and help you with TMJ pain, facial asymmetries, aging faces, overbites and underbites as well.
If you have any questions regarding non-surgical jaw treatment or Non-surgical facelifts please feel free to call our office, Ronald W. Konig DDS, FAGD, LVIF, 713-668-2289
