“What kind of surgery do they do for TMJ?”

Not many doctors operate on the TMJ.Please speak with a Oral Surgeon.

Most TMJ surgeries are done with a laser which is much more precise and provides quicker healing. Other than that there can be many variables between patients' temporomandibular joints including what caused the damage and then the extent of the damage. So unfortunately there is no way I can answer your question fully without a thorough examination with necessary X-rays. The best person to ask is the surgeon doing the procedure. Good luck.

In extremely rare cases involving injury or severe arthritis, joint replacement surgery is required for the TMJ. I have personally only seen 1 or 2 of those in over 40 years as a dentist. But just like bad hips and knees, it is sometimes the only thing that can be done for a patient. The jaw is always moving, not just with chewing and speaking, but simply with breathing as well. So that constant, slight movement can be very painful in an affected TMJ.

Sometimes what is necessary is to rebuild the fixed part of the upper jaw where the lower moving portion slides against. Sometimes the lower part has to be reconstructed. Often there is a much smaller incision than you would expect.

But the vast majority of TMJ problems can be corrected with physical therapy and the use of special mouthpieces that can reposition the joint to function better without pain. I would certainly try those options first. Surgery is your last option.

Dr. Conrad

For many TMD conditions, surgery is a last resort. Speak with the dentist who is caring for you.

Surgical intervention for TMJ disorders will be dependent upon the correct diagnosis of the problem as well as the surgeon’s training and experience. 

There are three surgical options used to treat temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD): arthroplasty, arthroscopy and complete joint replacement. Each type of surgery is performed by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon.