I have a question -can anybody tell me if untreated tmj always gets worse, or stays the same. or gets better? Is it normal to have more and more symptoms of this mysterious disease, if you are not really doing any treatment?

Springbreak,

The tmjd can get worse without treatment over time.......and it can only get better with proper treatment. Now, some people may get better on it's own for awhile, but the problem will return evenually and sometimes its worst than the first time. If left untreated, you will have more symptoms in the future. It's better to get it treated now, before it gets worse, even if your symptoms are very mild.

Hope this helps.

Sandi

I have a question -can anybody tell me if untreated tmj always gets worse, or stays the same. or gets better? Is it normal to have more and more symptoms of this mysterious disease, if you are not really doing any treatment?

TMJ generally progresses without treatment, nobody can predict what will happen in the future. Many people live their entire lives with TMJ and don't even know they have it. So, nobody can say that if you leave your TMJ untreated it will progress. You really have to follow your own best judgement.

Tiffany

Springbreak,

Like Tiffany said, you have to follow your own best judgement......so if you are experiencing any kind of jaw pains now, even if they are mild, get the help you need before it could get worse.

Have a nice night.

Sandi

I have tmj and mine just cont'd to get worse. Finally so bad i had to get treatment. I couldn't open my mouth to eat anything. I had to drink alot of shakes during this time. I was lucky i went it when i did. My dentist said if i would of waited any longer i would have needed surgery. You never know. Yours could get better. Everyone is different.

I read a research article in TMJ (for the life of me I can't remember who wrote it or where I read it) and it basically said that TMJ with or without treatment will generally subside in about 7 years. When I read this article I had symptoms of TMJ for approximately one year and thought to myself "will I have to live this way for another 6 years or do I try to do as much as I possibly could to alleviate symptoms?" I decided to do what I could to help myself. When I mentioned the article to my TMJ specialist he agreed that in most cases the problems of TMJ alleviate themselves given enough time but that most people didn't want to wait it out. Do splints really work or do we psychologically feel better because we feel we are taking control of the problem? Hard to say but whatever makes a TMJ sufferer feel better than I am all for it. Mary

I read a research article in TMJ (for the life of me I can't remember who wrote it or where I read it) and it basically said that TMJ with or without treatment will generally subside in about 7 years. When I read this article I had symptoms of TMJ for approximately one year and thought to myself "will I have to live this way for another 6 years or do I try to do as much as I possibly could to alleviate symptoms?" I decided to do what I could to help myself. When I mentioned the article to my TMJ specialist he agreed that in most cases the problems of TMJ alleviate themselves given enough time but that most people didn't want to wait it out. Do splints really work or do we psychologically feel better because we feel we are taking control of the problem? Hard to say but whatever makes a TMJ sufferer feel better than I am all for it. Mary


I can't say that I agree with this article, especially if you have joint-related problems. I was diagnosed with TMJD over 10 years ago and still have my share of problems with it. I know of others that have suffered for 20-30 years, and would not have gotten better without any type of intervention.
Cheryl

I have to say I agree with Cheryl. I have had tmj now for almost 10 years. I have had some symptom free times and some times that are just better than others. It is always right there. I am now in the midst of a horrible flare up after 3 great years. I think it is like any chronic condition, it can flare up and come back to bite you in the back at any time. If not for my splint I would have jumped off a bridge by now! :)
Karen