Federal Way TMJ

Dr. F. Mike Farley is a dentist and has answered some of the common questions Bizymoms visitors have about TMJ.


Q. What is TMJ?

A. TMJ stands for the temporomandibular joint.  It is the jaw joint located right by your ear canal.  Over the years TMJ has become synonymous with jaw joint pain.  The joint itself is made up of the upper jaw bone, the lower jaw bone, and a cartilage disc sandwiched between that keeps the two bones from rubbing on one another.  The disc is held in place by a bed of nerves, ligaments, and muscles located in the back of the joint.   A type of capsule keeps fluids in and lubricates the joint.   This entire system constitutes the temporomandibular joint or the TMJ.

Over the years pain in the jaw joint by a person’s ear has become known as TMJ pain or just TMJ.  That pain is generated from inflammation in the joint and/or a displacement of the protective disc inside the joint.  Common symptoms include joint pain, headaches, difficulty opening the mouth widely, and clicking or popping sounds in the joint on movement.   

Q. How do I know if I have TMJ?

A. Since everyone has the jaw joint, I assume the reference here is toward the pain in the joint.  A person suffering from ear pain, pain on chewing, headaches, clicking or popping sounds in the joint when opening or closing or chewing food, and difficulty opening wide might have TMJ.  There are certain tests and range of motion studies associated with the movement of a normal joint.  Typically, your dentist would be a better choice over your physician to help you determine whether your particular symptoms are related to the TMJ.    

Q. Can pain killers help in treating TMJ syndrome?

A. Pain killers, certainly, can treat symptoms and give a patient temporary comfort. However, they cannot be construed as actual treatment.  The problem in the TMJ is associated with an inflammation and/or displacement of the disc that protects the joint.  If the inflammation or positioning of the disc is not addressed, treatment will likely lead to temporary results.  Pain killers can help a patient tolerate the time between diagnosis and actual treatment of the problem. 

Q. Who should treat TMD?

A. I notice you have switched gears with this question.  TMD, eh?  I believe TMD is more appropriate to what you’ve been getting at.  TMD stands for temporomandibular joint dysfunction.  Dysfunction connotes pain or discomfort and is more in line with your questioning. 

Any dentist can treat TMD, but it should be noted that the treatment of jaw joint problems does not command a major portion of the curriculum in most dental schools.  Most dentists that desire to treat TMJ symptoms seek post graduate continuing education.  Although the treatment of the TMJ is not a recognized specialty in dentistry, a significant number of  practitioners that treat it have had substantial  post dental school education on the subject. 

The treatment for TMD ranges from very simple to very complex, depending on the severity of the problem.  Your family dentist could recommend a soft diet, warm, moist compresses, and even a night guard.   Sometimes a 24hour bite plate, a jaw re-positioning split, orthodontics, or even surgery may be necessary.  As the treatment gets more complex, the patient should seek the services of an Oral Medicine specialist or someone limiting their practice to the treatment of TMD.  Most jaw joint surgeries are performed by an Oral Surgeon.  As I said, there is no recognized specialty in TMJ, but there is, certainly, a number of practitioners that seek the TMJ patient after extensive post graduate education.

Q. What should you expect from a TMD doctor?

A. The TMD doctor should be someone who demonstrates a significant amount of post dental school education on the subject.  He should devote a substantial portion of his practice to the treatment of TMD, if not all of his practice.  In most cases he will be someone to whom a general dentist refers his patients and has a reputation in the community of being someone who openly expresses an expertise in the subject of TMJ treatment.  He should provide the patient with a thorough understanding of the theories behind his decisions treatment choices.

Q. What results can I expect from surgery?

A. Surgery is a last resort in the treatment of TMD.  Many treatment modalities should be considered before surgery.  To answer the question, surgery, at best, should be expected to provide relief of jaw joint pain symptoms.  However, surgeries often have to be repeated. 

There are many different types of TMJ surgery.  Each one has its specific goals and expectations.  None should be considered permanent.  The question is a little too broad to give a definitive answer, but one should expect at least temporary relief of symptoms. 

Q. Is TMJ/TMD covered by insurance?

A. The subject of insurance coverage of TMJ has been a hot topic in dentistry for years.  Some dental insurance companies specifically exclude the treatment of TMJ even though various states forbid that practice.  There is a question of whether TMJ is a dental or a medical condition.  Some feel that, since it involves the mouth, that it’s dental and others feel that it’s the treatment of a joint just like the treatment of a knee or hip and it constitutes a medical condition.  In my practice I chose to treat it as a medical condition and pursued insurance coverage through a patient’s medical insurance.

Q. How to contact Dr. Farley  if we have further questions?

A. Contact Us

Precision Dental Care

F. Mike Farley, DDS, PS
1825 South 324th Place
Federal Way, WA 98003

Phone: (253) 838-2018
             (253) 927-1056

FAX: (253) 838-9175

 Website:  www.Precisiondentalcarel.com

 drfarley@precisiondentalcare.com or

 info@precisiondentalcare.com