Question 1

Why does my jaw hurt?

Accepted Answer

Jaw pain (https://oralmedsleep.com.au/temporomandibular-joint-tmj-pain/)can often result due to a TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorder. Sometimes it jaw pain may even be associated with jaw joint noises (https://oralmedsleep.com.au/temporomandibular-joint-tmj-noises/) such as jaw clicking or crunching. Common causes of jaw pain can include injury to the jaw (e.g whiplash, long dental appointments, clenching/grinding (https://oralmedsleep.com.au/clenching-and-grinding-bruxism/)of teeth)(https://oralmedsleep.com.au/phantom-and-persistent-tooth-pain/) and generally require specialised treatment.

Question 2

Does splint therapy work for TMJ?

Accepted Answer

Splint therapy, also known as occlusal or dental splints are often used as part of the management for TMJ disorders and jaw pain. There are many different splint designs, depending on the diagnosis of your TMJ dysfunction. While we do not understand the full extend of how splint therapy works, most patients find splint therapy useful in reducing pain and jaw stiffness.

Question 3

Why does my mouth still hurt after tooth extraction?

Accepted Answer

Most people will experience some pain from the mouth after tooth extraction, which generally improves as the extraction site heals. However, some individuals may develop jaw pain (https://oralmedsleep.com.au/temporomandibular-joint-tmj-pain/) after a tooth extraction. This can be because of injury to the jaw from a long dental appointment or the forces used during a tooth extraction.
A small number of individuals may also find the extraction site may still hurts, even after it is healed. This may be due to underlying nerve dysfunction, called “phantom tooth pain”(https://oralmedsleep.com.au/phantom-and-persistent-tooth-pain/) . In such situations, seeking advice from a Clinician at the Perth Oral Medicine and Dental Sleep Centre will be useful in improving your pain.

Question 4

Are migraines and TMJ related? My migraines have improved after jaw treatment -is that normal?

Accepted Answer

Research does show that chronic migraine sufferers have improvements in the frequency and severity of their migraines when their temporomandibular dysfunction is treated. Whilst temporomandibular dysfunction does not cause migraines it appears treatment for temporomandibular dysfunction can improve migraine sufferer’s quality of life.

Question 5

What does nerve pain in my face feel like?

Accepted Answer

Many people describe pain differently but common descriptive words include electric shock type pain, tingling or burning pain. It commonly doesn’t respond to over the counter pain relief medication.

Question 6

Can I just have surgery to fix my jaw joint?

Accepted Answer

The temporomandibular joint (https://oralmedsleep.com.au/temporomandibular-joint-tmj-pain/)is a complex joint and surgery is often not the best option. Conservative therapies often work better for long periods of time and patients often do not require surgery to fix their joint.(https://oralmedsleep.com.au/temporomandibular-joint-tmj-pain/)

Question 7

Can nerve pain be caused by stress?

Accepted Answer

Stress often will worsen a person’s pain whether it be nerve pain, musculoskeletal pain or pain from other diseases. Working to reduce stress levels is just one of the vital steps in improving and maintaining a painless state.

Question 8

Is Botox poisonous?

Accepted Answer

Botox whilst derived from the highly toxic botulinum toxin, Botox itself is very safe. The reasons for this are due to its tight regulation in manufacturing and in use. This stringent regulation over the manufacturing of it can result in Botox however it also results in a very safe product being delivered to the patient.

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