When you're thinking about obtaining TMJ treatment in Los Angeles, the costs for this treatment can range anywhere from $300-$50,000 depending on your exact needs. There are a wide range of factors that determine how much you will pay for TMJ treatment, all of which you should understand before seeking this treatment out. The treatments that are used for TMJ are exceedingly varied, which is why the costs associated with TMJ can differ substantially. The TMJ treatment that you require largely depends on the severity of your symptoms. To have a better idea of what TMJ treatment will cost, you should first know more about the numerous treatment options available to you for TMJ.
What Is TMJ Treatment?
TMJ refers to temporomandibular joint disorder, which is a type of condition that can range in severity from mild to serious. Pain that has developed within the jaw and surrounding muscles can lead to a large number of additional problems that can adversely affect your ability to perform everyday tasks. If the condition is too severe, you may have difficulties with moving your jaw at all, which can make it difficult to speak and chew your food. The types of treatments that are available for TMJ extend all the way from standard prescription medications to surgery. It's also possible that you will require a combination of treatments like orthodontics, bite guards, and medication.
When to Consider TMJ Treatment
If you're thinking about obtaining TMJ treatment, it's important that you know how to identify the symptoms that come with this disorder. The primary symptoms of TMJ disorder include:
- Difficulties with chewing that cause pain
- An aching pain in the lower portion of your face
- Tenderness or pain within the jaw
- Aching pain that's located right around the ear
- Pain that's located directly in the temporomandibular joints
- Joint locking, which you'll notice when it seems almost impossible to close or open your mouth
While these symptoms can be frustrating to deal with, it's important to understand that mild TMJ pain may go away on its own, which means that you wouldn't need to spend much money on treatment solutions. If the symptoms cause moderate to severe pain and subsist for more than a week, it's likely that you will require some form of treatment.
Understanding Costs of Treatment
To fully understand how much TMJ treatment will cost, you first need to focus on identifying your symptoms and how severe or otherwise they are. Mild TMJ symptoms may not require any type of treatment from your primary dentist. They may instead provide you with recommendations for using heat packs or wearing mouth guards. While heat packs are very inexpensive, mouth guards tend to cost around $100-$200. If your TMJ symptoms are more severe, the treatments will take this into account.
In some situations, multiple surgeries will be required to correct the problem, which is something that will quickly cause the costs of the treatment to increase to anywhere from $3,000-$50,000. Minimally invasive surgeries like arthrocentesis cost as little as $300. Other surgical procedures like open-joint surgery and TMJ arthroscopy can cost thousands of dollars. Keep in mind that these are just estimates, which is why you should call our office for a dental consultation.