ProceduresTemporomandibular joint · Maxillofacial

TMJ pain:
from splint to surgery

Most jaw joint problems improve without surgery. When pain, locking or damage persist, there are stepped options: from splints and physiotherapy to arthrocentesis and, in selected cases, joint replacement.

Book your consultation→Step by step↓

First step: Conservative treatment
Diagnosis: Examination, plus MRI or CT if needed
Minimally invasive: Arthrocentesis: a needle wash
Last resort: Joint surgery or total replacement

Approximate values: every case is different and your plan confirms them at the consultation.

What is the TMJ?

The temporomandibular joint connects the jaw to the skull, just in front of the ear. Between the condyle and the bone sits a disc that cushions movement. When the disc slips, the joint becomes inflamed or the muscles are overloaded, pain, noises and limited opening appear.

TMJ disorders are common and usually mild or intermittent: they improve with simple measures. Surgery is reserved for a small group in whom conservative treatment did not work and imaging shows a problem that a procedure can correct.

Signs to get checked

01Pain in front of the ear or in the jawwhen chewing, talking or waking up.
02Painful clicking, or the jaw locksopen or closed.
03You cannot open your mouth fullyor it veers to one side when opening.
04Pain that does not settle after months of treatmentor joint damage visible on imaging.

A click without pain or locking often needs no treatment on its own.

Stepped treatment

From least to most invasive.

Which option applies to you is decided at the consultation, with imaging.

01First
Conservative treatment
Splint, physiotherapy and exercises, anti-inflammatories, soft diet and managing habits such as clenching. This is where most people improve.
02Minimally invasive
Arthrocentesis
A wash of the joint through two needles to remove inflammatory substances and free up movement. No incisions.
03Surgery
Joint surgery
To reposition or repair the disc, or release adhesions, when the above was not enough and imaging justifies it.
04Advanced cases
Total TMJ replacement
A custom prosthesis replaces the joint when it is destroyed: ankylosis, severe degeneration, or after trauma or previous surgery.

Step by step

First, understand why it hurts.

01Consultation
Examination
Opening, noises, muscles, bite and habits.
02If needed
Imaging
MRI to see the disc; CT to see the bone.
03Weeks
Conservative treatment
Splint, physiotherapy and medication, with check-ups to measure the response.
04If no better
Procedure
Arthrocentesis or surgery, depending on what imaging shows.
05Always
Follow-up
Exercises and check-ups to keep the result.

Starting today

Measures that help

Food
Soft diet; avoid chewing gum and large bites.
Heat or cold
Compresses over the joint, whichever relieves.
Habits
Notice daytime clenching: lips together, teeth apart.
Movement
Avoid wide yawns and resting your chin on your hand.

Do not wait

When to seek care promptly

The jaw is locked and you cannot open or close
Severe pain after a blow to the face
Swelling with fever in front of the ear

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Frequently asked

What patients ask before deciding.

Pain in front of the ear or in the jaw, clicking, a locking sensation, difficulty opening the mouth and, sometimes, headache or earache.

The joint sits right in front of the ear canal, so its pain often feels like earache. If the ear is healthy, the TMJ is worth checking.

An over-the-counter anti-inflammatory may help for a few days. If the pain continues, get checked: the right medication depends on the cause and your general health.

Many episodes improve within weeks with simple measures. If pain lasts months, the jaw locks or opening is limited, an assessment is worthwhile.

Rarely: when conservative treatment did not work and imaging shows damage that a procedure can correct, or in advanced cases such as ankylosis.

Surgery that replaces the damaged joint with a prosthesis custom-designed from a CT scan. It is reserved for destroyed joints.