Temporomandibular Joint Disorders (TMD) Melbourne

The jaw joint (temporomandibular joint) is a complex structure and occasionally disorders arise in the muscles around the joint or within the structures of the joint itself. It can present as pain in the joint, limitation of function of the joint (such as mouth opening), jaw dislocations (may be recurrent) and grinding noises from the joint. Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons are trained to deal with such disorders.

The management of these disorders may be medical/dental (including physiotherapy), surgical or a combination of these.

The surgical procedures that may be required depend on the individual’s condition and include:

• Injection of medication into the jaw joint
• Arthrocentesis (wash-out of the joint)
• Arthroscopy (using a camera to inspect the jaw joint and at the same time treat any obvious abnormalities).
• Open joint surgery
• Total joint replacement (in select cases).

Most of these procedures are carried out under general anaesthesia in a hospital. One of our OralMax surgeons will discuss your specific procedure and recovery with you in more detail during your consultation.