TMJ

Treatment for TMJ At Alaska Center For Oral + Facial Surgery

If you suffer from TMJ issues, find a refuge in AOFS and our innovative TMJ treatments today!

The temporomandibular joint, or TMJ, is the unique paired joint system that allows your lower jaw to move, giving rise to chewing, speaking, and facial animation movements. In cases of TMJ dysfunction, one or both joints can become painful, noisy, and immobile, greatly diminishing a person’s quality of life.

At Alaska Center For Oral + Facial Surgery, our surgeons are trained in cutting edge techniques, from minimally invasive, arthroscopic joint rehabilitation (miniature scope placed through pinpoint incision) to custom total TMJ replacement and CT-guided surgical planning.

Alaska Center For Oral + Facial Surgery gives Alaskans with TMJ pain and dysfunction piece of mind knowing their condition doesn’t have to mean long, expensive trips to the lower 48 for optimum treatment.

Reach out and connect with our office for more information on our TMJ services! Call Us: (907) 222-5052

Recovery Tips After TMJ Surgery

Depending on the type of TMJ surgery that was performed, recovery will be different for each individual patient. Before we examine recovery tips, let’s go over a few things to remember on the day of your surgery.  

Allow yourself recovery time – Not only do you need to take the day of surgery off from work, but allow yourself additional days to recover to let your body heal. 

Find support – While each TMJ surgery varies in recovery time, it’s important that you elicit support from a trusted friend or family member who can be with you on the day of surgery. This way they can drive you home and pick up any prescribed medications for you afterward.

Follow surgery aftercare – Whether it’s how to care for your incision down to what you should take for pain, it’s vital to follow the oral surgeon’s directions completely. The surgeons and staff will have TMJ surgery aftercare instructions ready for you!

 

Now that we’ve covered a few things on the day of your TMJ surgery, let’s review some advantageous recovery tips!

 

  • Quell pain and discomfort with prescribed medications or NSAIDs (only if recommended). 
  • Keep to soft foods such as smoothies, mashed potatoes, yogurt, soups, and broth and avoid crunchy and hard foods. 
  • Improve swelling and discomfort with an ice pack or cold compress.
  • If heat feels better, use a warm compress or small heating pad on your jaw muscles.
  • Keep the incision site clean by removing and replacing bandages regularly.

TMJ surgery is a great option for those who haven’t had success with other TMJ treatment options and need relief from pain, discomfort, or a jaw with a limited range of motion.  

The TMJ surgeries offered at the Alaska Center For Oral + Facial Surgery facility provide a myriad of procedures from conservative to complex depending on the severity of the TMJ condition.