Jaw Joint Problems

Our Procedures

Commonly, the majority of people will have some jaw joint issues at least once in their lifetime, although only a minority of people will seek the proper treatment.

Most of the jaw treatments available are managed without surgery, however rarely some will require more than manipulation and correction and will require more radical jaw surgery. Generally, patients will have some of the following symptoms if they are experiencing problems in their jaw:

Limited jaw movement
Stuck or locked jaw
Clicking noise
Grating
Popping noises from the TMJ
Pain when chewing
Pain when yawning

Pain when opening the jaw widely
Ear or cheek pain
Headaches not caused by other conditions
Grinding teeth
Toothache
Earache
Muscle spasms

Although often annoying a jaw joint problem is usually not serious and does not lead to other problems. Typically patients respond to the conservative treatment very well. If you are at all concerned about your jaw please talk to your GP and you can ask for a referral to see a specialist oral surgeon at Faciomax in Brisbane.

Jaw Joint Procedures

TMJ Disorder Recovery

The recovery time for jaw joint surgery can greatly depend on the individual and the type of surgery that was performed. Most of the time you can head home the same day but make sure a relative or friend drives in case you are still under the effects of anesthetic.

We recommended that you take between 5 -7 days off work/school after your jaw joint surgery to allow your body to heal. If you have a job that requires a lot of talking or mouth movement then you need to make sure that your jaw is in a fully healed state so you do not reopen the wound.

For the few days of recovery following your surgery; follow the instructions given to you by your surgeon or doctor. You should also try to reduce the swelling in your jaw as much as possible. You can do this with cold ice press to the treated area. Make sure your eat liquid or very soft foods but please avoid getting your bandages wet as this can increase the chances of infection.

It’s important after you have had any kind of jaw joint injury or surgery that you book a follow up appointment with your doctor. We advise that the best time for this is around 7- 10 days after surgery. This time will give the jaw a chance to heal and for the doctor to be able to make an informed decision on the progress of your recovery.

Do You Need To Speak With A Maxillofacial Surgeon?

Get In Touch