Relief From Locked Jaw: TMJ Surgery in Chennai

Is a Locked or Painful Jaw Stopping You From Eating?

A stiff, clicking, or painful jaw can make simple daily activities like chewing, speaking, and yawning feel impossible. The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the sliding hinge connecting your jawbone to your skull.

When this joint becomes inflamed, damaged, or fused, it results in a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder. While many mild cases improve with conservative therapies like mouthguards, medication, or physical therapy, some conditions require specialised surgical intervention.

If you are experiencing a locked jaw, severe pain, or an inability to open your mouth, Dr. Pradeep S. and Dr. Kalpa Pandya provide comprehensive clinical evaluations to determine if jaw joint surgery is the right path forward for you.

Minimally Invasive Relief: TMJ Arthrocentesis

For patients experiencing acute pain or a suddenly locked jaw, we often begin with a minimally invasive procedure called TMJ arthrocentesis.

• TMJ Arthrocentesis: This is a joint washout procedure performed under local anesthesia or mild sedation. The surgeon inserts two fine needles into the joint space to gently flush out inflammatory fluids and break up minor scar tissue.
• Lubrication: After flushing the joint, we may inject a therapeutic lubricant, such as hyaluronic acid, to help the joint glide smoothly.
• Patient Benefit: This procedure helps restore jaw mobility and significantly reduces pain with minimal downtime, allowing you to return to normal activities quickly.

Treating a Fused Joint: TMJ Ankylosis Release

TMJ ankylosis is a severe condition where the jaw joint fuses with the surrounding skull bone due to trauma (sometimes after a jaw fracture treated with ORIF), infection, or chronic arthritis, resulting in a completely locked jaw.

• Ankylosis Release: This major surgical procedure involves carefully removing the fused bone mass to free the jaw joint, restoring its natural movement.
• Joint Reconstruction: To prevent the bones from fusing together again, we reconstruct the joint using a patient's own tissue, such as a muscle flap, or a biocompatible joint replacement.
• Post-Surgical Physiotherapy: An intensive, customized physical therapy regimen is started immediately after surgery to maintain the new jaw opening and prevent stiffness.

What to Expect After Your Jaw Joint Surgery

Recovery depends entirely on whether you undergo a minimally invasive washout or a major joint reconstruction.

• Dietary Changes: You will need to follow a strictly soft or liquid diet for several days to weeks to allow the joint to heal without stress.
• Pain Management: Prescribed medications will help manage discomfort and swelling, which typically peaks within the first three days.
• Jaw Exercises: Guided physical therapy exercises are crucial to gradually rebuild strength and ensure long-term flexibility of the joint.

Your Care Team: Dr. Pradeep S. and Dr. Kalpa Pandya

At our practice, your care is personally managed from your initial consultation through your entire recovery by our two dedicated oral & maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) specialists.

Dr. Pradeep S. provides consultations at Apollo Main Hospital, Greams Road, Chennai, bringing extensive experience in complex head and neck surgical procedures.

Dr. Kalpa Pandya consults at Sri Ramachandra Medical Centre, Porur, Chennai, focusing on facial trauma, joint rehabilitation, and reconstructive jaw surgery.

For complex joint reconstructions, we coordinate closely with physical therapists and the wider surgical team at our affiliated Apollo or partner hospitals to ensure a seamless recovery.

We warmly welcome patients traveling to our Chennai practice from across Tamil Nadu and wider South India, offering comprehensive remote second opinions and coordinated care plans for outstation families.