Splints are often the first treatment that a dentist will recommend for a patient with a diagnosed TMJ disorder (TMD). These custom-fitted mouth guards can reduce pain by helping the jaw muscles relax and preventing teeth grinding. And sometimes, they’re enough.
Often, though, they’re not – especially in complex cases. While they may provide some temporary relief, they don’t always get at what’s actually causing the TMD. This is where non-invasive combination therapies can really shine. As one 2024 study found,
while certain treatments such as transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and low-level laser therapy showed limited efficacy, combination therapies, especially those involving manual therapy, counseling, and splint therapy, demonstrated substantial improvement in reducing pain, depression, and anxiety.
Here at the Laguna Hill Center, splints are usually just one piece of the proverbial puzzle. To that therapy, we add others based on each patient’s specific needs. Many of these, we’ve blogged about before. Already this year, new research has dropped on a couple of them: manual therapy and ozone.
Manual therapy is a hands-on approach in which Dr. Abdulla uses specialized techniques to gently manipulate the muscles, joints, and soft tissues around your jaw and face. She applies careful pressure, stretches restricted tissues, and uses precise movements to help release tension, improve mobility, and restore proper function to your TMJ (jaw joint).
The idea is to address underlying physical imbalances rather than just masking symptoms – to help break the cycle of pain, reduce inflammation, and retrain your jaw muscles to work more comfortably during everyday activities such as talking and eating.
A very small recent study out of Indonesia shows just how effective this kind of hands-on therapy can be. Three participants with TMD were treated over two weeks at a physical therapy clinic. Each received three sessions of manual therapy that included gentle manipulation of the upper neck, repositioning of the jaw joint, jaw exercises, and the release of tight tissues.
To see if the therapy worked, researchers used a questionnaire that measures jaw pain and problems before and after treatment – and the results were impressive, to say the least. Of the three patients, two had no TMJ trouble at all after therapy, including one whose TMD had been rated “severe.” The third’s condition improved from “severe” to “mild.”
Another study, published last month in the Journal of Evidence-Based Dental Practice, focused on treating TMDs with ozone. To explore its effectiveness, the research team reviewed and analyzed earlier research, sticking only to human clinical trials – no animal studies, retrospective studies, case reports, and such.
Seven studies made the final cut. Together, they suggested that, whether applied to the muscles or the temporomandibular joints themselves, ozone therapy may indeed
reduce pain intensity, pressure pain thresholds, palpatory pain, and improve mandibular range of motion.
While, as the authors suggest, more high quality, low bias studies need to be done to confirm these findings, they do reflect what we’ve seen in our own TMJ patients who have received ozone as part of their personalized treatment plan.
Yes, our treatment plans are unique to every person who comes through our doors, seeking help for TMD. They want and deserve more than a temporary fix. They appreciate our taking a big picture view and putting together just the right mix of evidence-based therapies tailored to their needs so they can find healing and long-term relief.