For some patients, TMD symptoms eventually subside without requiring treatment. But for those whose symptoms continue, your doctor may suggest one or more of the following treatment options:

• Physical therapy – this could involve exercises to strengthen and stretch the jaw muscles, ice, ultrasound, and/or moist heat.
• Counseling –for those patients whose symptoms are caused and/or exacerbated by stress, counseling may help them understand the factors that provoke the painful responses like teeth grinding, teeth clenching, biting one’s fingernails, or leaning on one’s chin.
• Bite guards/oral splints – these devices, which can be firm or soft, are worn over the teeth and provide some patients with relief from their jaw pain. The exact reasons why these devices help are not known, but this is a safe, noninvasive option that many people find effective.

Medications – these are often combined with other nonsurgical treatments to provide pain relief for TMD sufferers. There are several varieties of medications that are used for this purpose, such as:

• Pain relievers – if over-the-counter pain medications are ineffective for relieving a patient’s TMD symptoms, stronger pain relievers may be prescribed.
• Sedatives – if the patient is prone to nighttime teeth clenching that is making the pain worse, a doctor may prescribe a sedative like clonazepam (Klonopin) to keep the patient from clenching or grinding in their sleep.
• Muscle relaxers – these types of medication are used temporarily, whether for a few days or a few weeks, to alleviate pain experienced by TMD sufferers.
• Tricyclic antidepressants – although these are most commonly used to treat depression, some of them, such as amitriptyline, can also provide pain relief.

Medical procedures – these are usually the last resort, but if the above strategies do not help, your doctor may recommend one of the following:

• Injections –similarly to other types of joint pain, TMD pain sometimes responds to corticosteroid injections. In some cases, a doctor may choose to inject botulinum toxin (aka Botox and similar drugs) into the jaw muscles to help with pain while chewing.
• Arthrocentesis – in this procedure, the doctor carefully inserts needles into the temporomandibular joint in order to use fluid to irrigate the area, getting rid of debris and inflammatory materials.
• Surgery – for those patients who cannot find relief from their jaw pain via more conservative methods due to the fact that the problem seems to originate within the temporomandibular joint itself, a doctor or dentist may recommend surgery to either replace or repair the joint. This approach is somewhat controversial, however; the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research strongly advises against performing these types of surgeries unless all other options have been exhausted.