Severe Jaw Pain—Should You Seek TMJ Replacement?

After suffering from terrible jaw pain, a woman from Northern Colorado became the first in her area to have her entire TMJ (temporomandibular joint) replaced. While this surgery has been in existence for a long time, it is only recently becoming a more popular option for people with jaw pain. Are there other options you should consider before surgery?

Surgery as a Last Resort for Jaw Pain

Even doctors who recommend this surgery do so only as a last resort. It means up to 6 months of rehabilitation and can lead to serious complications. For example, an infection may occur, swelling and pain is common, facial nerves may be affected, ear problems could occur, and the teeth may no longer line up while chewing. These are just a few of many potential complications.

On the other hand, there are success stories such as the woman noted above. So before you opt for surgery, what else should you try?

Proper Care for Jaw Pain

Many cases of TMJ pain go away simply by icing the jaw, eating soft foods for a time, learning some jaw stretches, and using an over-the-counter pain medication until the episode ends. However, there may be a way to get to the underlying cause of jaw pain and keep it from coming back.

Healthy Neck, Healthy Jaw

Upper cervical chiropractic focuses on correcting misalignments of the C1 and C2 vertebrae. This part of the neck is very closely related to the proper use and position of the facial nerves and muscles as well as those in the neck. As a result, a misalignment can be the underlying issue with jaw pain. This also helps explain why many patients with TMJ dysfunction experience neck pain too.

If you are suffering from jaw pain, especially if you have a history of head or neck injury, you may want to have your upper neck examined before you seek out drastic and irreversible surgery. A gentle adjustment may be all that is needed to get the muscles and nerves back to a relaxed state.

About the Author

Dr. Barbara Read

Ames Chiropractor

When I first heard about NUCCA care, I thought it was too good to be true. But there I was in Chicago, a new chiropractor, with an opportunity to train with a master of this form of care, Dr. Marshall Dickholtz, Sr., and I took him up on his offer to train me. I was astounded by the number of people coming through the door seeking help for all kinds of problems. People who had been everywhere else, had seen everyone else, and had tried everything else. I couldn’t deny that this system of healing was working. It was gentle. It was stable. I wasn’t used to seeing patients hold their corrections like this.